ECO Solutions

What ECO Solutions does

ECO Solutions is a founder-led ecological sanitation initiative, formally established in 2006 by Paul Calvert with predecessor work dating to 1994, headquartered in Trivandrum, Kerala, with a secondary office in North Yorkshire, England. The company designs, builds, and promotes waterless, composting-based sanitation systems — primarily its proprietary Ecopan urine-diverting toilet pan and Dry Compost Toilet — targeted at water-scarce, high-water-table, coastal, and disaster-prone habitats where conventional flush toilets fail. The technology separates urine and feces, uses evaporative plantbeds for composting, and produces organic soil improvers while protecting groundwater from fecal contamination; the system was validated as tsunami-resistant during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. ECO Solutions operates India's first Eco-Sanitary Mart in Trivandrum and distributes educational books in five South Asian languages.

The business model combines low-margin hardware sales (Ecopan toilet pans), one-time book and publication sales (Rs 250-300 in India, £4.99-9.99 internationally), and project-based consultancy, design, training, and research services delivered directly to governments, NGOs, and multilateral bodies. Distribution is via a single retail outlet, direct sales, a local reseller (Sustainable Technologies in the Community), and international book channels. The company's customer segments span government and development organizations (primary), rural and peri-urban communities, educational institutions (anganwadis/schools), and individual households. ECO Solutions holds UNDP resource centre status for ecosan in South Asia and has documented project work in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Tanzania, and Fiji.

Name

ECO Solutions

Legal name

eco-solutions

Website

https://eco-solutions.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ECO Solutions designs and promotes waterless composting toilet systems and urine-diverting pans for governments, NGOs, schools, and communities in water-scarce and flood-prone regions of South Asia, operating as a UNDP-designated ecosan resource centre.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ecological Sanitation Hardware

NAICS

Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256), Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (32562)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions (BPAGALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Waste Management & Smart Sanitation (Facilities) (HSAPAPAM)

Keywords

• Ecological sanitation systems
• Dry compost toilets
• Urine-diverting toilets
• Sanitation consultancy
• Waterless toilet hardware

Headquarters

HQ city

Dalton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of ecopans (urine-diverting toilet pans), books and educational materials on ecological sanitation. Products sold directly and through the Eco-Sanitary Mart in Trivandrum.
2. Consultancy and Training Services: Project design, management, consultancy, training, and research services. Workshops and lectures delivered to NGOs, governments, and construction workers. Training on ecosan theory and practice.
3. Books and Publications: Sale of educational books including 'Ecological Solutions to Flush Toilet Failures' and 'Catch Them Young' published in multiple languages (English, Hindi, Tamil, Sinhala, Malayalam).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ECO Solutions (eco-solutions) designs, manufactures, and sells ecological sanitation hardware—principally the proprietary Ecopan urine-diverting toilet pan and Dry Compost Toilet systems—and delivers design, consultancy, training, and research services for governments, NGOs, and communities. The company also publishes educational books and information sheets on sustainable sanitation in multiple South Asian languages and operates India's first Eco-Sanitary Mart in Kerala.

Product overview

ECO Solutions (eco-solutions.org) offers a portfolio of ecological sanitation products and services centered on waterless, composting toilet technologies. The core offerings include the Ecopan (a urine-diverting toilet pan) and Dry Compost Toilets, which form the foundation of their sanitation systems. These are complemented by educational resources such as books ("Ecological Solutions to Flush Toilet Failures" and "Catch Them Young") and information sheets. The company also operates India's first Eco-Sanitary Mart in Kerala, provides design and construction services, and offers training workshops. As a UNDP resource center for ecosan in South Asia, ECO Solutions positions its products as alternatives to conventional flush toilets that protect water resources and produce organic soil amendments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ecopan: A urine-diverting toilet pan for ecological toilets, specifically designed for areas with high water table, flooding, water scarcity, lack of sewerage, rocky or mountainous terrain, and river/lakeside habitation.
• Eco-Sanitary Mart

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70 people attended inauguration of Ladakh eco-toilet project including government officials, NGO representatives, and community members
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ladakh Environmental Development Group (LEDeG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2006Partnership to build four dry compost toilets for the Ladakh Environmental Development Group in Leh, Ladakh in April-May 2006. LEDeG Chairman Lobzang Stanzin inaugurated the first toilet at LEDeG's office compound. Joint effort focused on addressing water scarcity and protecting water supplies from human fecal pollution.
• BORDA (Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2006Funded the dry compost toilet project in Ladakh in partnership with LEDeG and eco-solutions. BORDA provides funding support for development and demonstration of appropriate sanitation technologies.
• Sustainable Technologies in the CommunitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocated at 49 Asan Nagar, Vallakkadavu, Trivandrum, this organization distributes ecopans and provides local sales and support services for ecological sanitation products in Kerala.
• UNICEFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF now endorses the ecosan approach and encouraged the Madhya Pradesh government to visit eco-solutions' demonstration projects. Represents endorsement of eco-solutions' methodology.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaul Calvert led an FAO project in Andhra Pradesh on Sea Safety and Cyclone Disaster Preparedness. Represents prior project engagement with FAO.
• UNDPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partnereco-solutions is designated as a UNDP resource centre for ecosan in South Asia. Provides technical expertise and support for sustainable sanitation initiatives under UNDP programs.
• PWD Jammu and KashmirminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial meeting with PWD Chief Engineer explored potentials of ecosan for Leh, Kargil and other areas in Jammu and Kashmir. Represents government engagement for sanitation planning.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Separett: Swedish manufacturer of urine-diverting dry toilets and waterless sanitation systems. Most direct hardware peer to ecopan - both produce separating toilet pans for water-scarce, off-grid, and environmentally sensitive settings.
• Clivus Multrum: US-based manufacturer of waterless composting toilet systems used in off-grid homes, parks, and remote facilities. Comparable in offering composting toilet hardware, though primarily serving North American and developed-market customers.
• Sun-Mar Corporation: North American manufacturer of self-contained composting toilets for residential and commercial use. Comparable product category but serves developed-market off-grid niche rather than South Asian WASH applications.
• BORDA (Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association): German-headquartered NGO specializing in decentralized wastewater and sanitation solutions for developing countries. Direct comparable: BORDA funded eco-solutions' Ladakh project and operates the same ecosan methodology across Asia and Africa.

Emerging players

• Sanergy: Kenya-based social enterprise building low-cost sanitation centers and converting waste into fertilizer. Comparable model of decentralized sanitation + organic fertilizer value chain, but operates in urban East Africa rather than South Asia.
• iDE (International Development Enterprises): Global social enterprise that designs and distributes affordable sanitation and water products for low-income households in developing countries. Comparable mission and last-mile distribution model, though broader product scope.
• SOIL Haiti: Haitian social enterprise providing household-level ecological sanitation and composting services. Closely comparable model - dry composting toilets producing organic fertilizer, sold to households - though in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• WaterAid: Major international NGO focused on WASH access in developing countries. Comparable end-customer base (underserved South Asian communities) and institutional/government partnerships, but operates at much larger scale with broader program scope.

Regional players

• Centre for Science and Environment: India-based public interest research and advocacy organization working on sanitation, water, and environmental issues. Comparable in advancing sustainable sanitation awareness in South Asia, though as an advocacy body rather than product/service provider.

Others

• Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA): Global open network of organizations working on sustainable sanitation. ECO Solutions' institutional positioning as a UNDP resource centre makes it an active node in the same ecosystem, though SuSanA is a coordination/knowledge body rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ECO Solutions