FAQ

An URITROTTOIR is a public urinal that requires no water or plumbing, designed for installation in urban areas to combat public urination. It collects urine in a tank. Some models offer an optional kit for connection to the sewerage system. The URITROTTOIR range comprises the URITROTTOIR classic, URITROTTOIR mini, URITROTTOIR maxi and URITROTTOIR mixt.

Yes. EKOVORE URITROTTOIRS operate without mains water or a connection. They are suitable for areas where infrastructure works are impossible or too costly: historic centres, pedestrian areas, listed sites and neighbourhoods undergoing regeneration.

Installing local URITROTTOIRS is one of the most effective solutions. By providing a urinal that is accessible 24 hours a day, visible and non-stigmatising, we significantly reduce public urination by creating ‘nudges’ throughout the city. Instead of urinating on every street corner or at shop entrances, night-time revellers learn to locate these facilities over time and eventually incorporate them naturally into their routes.

The smell of urine is most prevalent in densely populated, lively urban areas, where the layout of historic town centres creates numerous hidden nooks and crannies that lend themselves to urination out of sight, whilst making it difficult to install connected public toilets.

The most effective solution is to tackle the problem at source by installing street urinals such as the URITROTTOIR EKOVORE. Compact and self-contained, it fits easily into these confined spaces. Operating as a dry toilet, without water or a connection to the sewerage system, it collects urine before it can accumulate on building facades, shop entrances and pavements, providing a long-term solution to odour problems.

For sites without access to water or sewerage connections, there are self-contained sanitary facilities that operate without water. Dry urinals, such as the URITROTTOIR and the URITROTTEUR EKOVORE, provide a simple solution to these needs without the need for complex infrastructure.

Compact, portable and quick to install, they are particularly well suited to construction sites, temporary events and remote locations. Operating on the principle of dry toilets (without water), they require no plumbing and can be set up as close as possible to where they are needed and moved, if necessary, at the request of local residents to find the most suitable location.

Yes, it is in fact one of the founding principles of the EKOVORE range. Human urine is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the three main nutrients found in fertilisers. Once collected and stabilised, it can be used in agriculture as a substitute for synthetic fertilisers.

EKOVORE offers portable toilets designed for temporary use (festivals, markets, construction sites): they are lightweight, mobile and require neither anchoring nor connection. The URITROTTOIR Mini is particularly well-suited to these settings, with a choice of 30, 80 or 120-litre tanks.

Maintenance is limited to the regular cleaning of waste bins and general furniture, with the frequency varying according to the level of use. It is a solution that does not involve any particular technological complexity.

Yes. EKOVORE offers the URITROTTOIR MIXT, a public urinal designed for use by both women and men. It addresses an issue of health equity in public spaces: women are often disadvantaged by the lack of suitable urinal facilities. The URITROTTOIR MIXT enables the provision of an inclusive facility without the need for additional equipment.

Yes. EKOVORE’s NPK range includes a dry urinal for women, designed for indoor installation in buildings, block of flats or public buildings. It connects to a storage tank, the NPK Bank, to collect urine for agricultural use. It is a pioneering solution for integrating urine separation at source within buildings.

Yes. EKOVORE offers a complete system for the separate collection of urine in buildings, comprising three stainless steel components: a waterless urinal for men (NPK Men), a female urinal designed for squatting (NPK woman), and a storage tank (NPK bank) installed in a plant room or on the building façade, at the boundary of the property, to be accessible 24/7 for pumping. The collected urine can be used as agricultural fertiliser. This system is installed without a connection to the mains water supply and is suitable for apartment blocks, offices and public buildings.

Yes. EKOVORE offers the URITONNOIR, a small polypropylene urinal that can be inserted directly into a bale of straw. The bale absorbs the urine and acts as a natural sponge — no infrastructure, no connections, no emptying required.

For home gardeners, the URITONNOIR is placed in a small bale of straw at the bottom of the garden; at the end of the cycle, the soaked bale provides a natural fertiliser that can be used directly on flower beds or in the vegetable patch.

For group events — small festivals, adventure parks, farm campsites, open-air cafés — several URITONNOIRS are placed in larger bundles; at the end of the event, the bundles can be composted or spread on farmland.

It all depends on the location, the audience and the budget. For a permanent public space in the city centre or a residential neighbourhood, the URITROTTOIR Mini and URITROTTOIR MAXI are suitable solutions, available – depending on the model – with or without a planter, with or without a privacy screen, and customisable in colour according to the RAL colour chart. For a mixed or inclusive setting, the URITROTTOIR MIXT is designed to be used equally by women and men, without separate equipment. For micro-festivals, adventure parks and open-air cafés, the URITONNOIR provides a simple and cost-effective solution to this need. Contact us for advice tailored to your project.

Yes, there are now so-called ‘smart’ urinals.

Some devices, such as URITROTTOIRS, can be fitted with a standalone wireless sensor. This allows the tank’s fill level to be monitored in real time and sends an alert to the operator when it is time to empty the tank.

This type of solution makes maintenance easier, optimises maintenance rounds and prevents overflow, whilst ensuring more reliable use in public spaces.

Yes. EKOVORE URITROTTOIRS are available with a powder-coated finish in RAL colours, allowing them to be integrated into the visual identity of a local authority or tourist site. They comply with the requirements of the Architectes des Bâtiments de France (ABF) for installation in conservation areas or historic centres.

Yes. Separate urine collection systems are available for direct installation in new or renovated buildings. EKOVORE’s NPK system comprises a men’s urinal, a women’s urinal and a storage tank, without requiring any modifications to existing water systems. These systems are particularly relevant in the context of environmental certifications (HQE, BBCA, BiodiverCity) and projects aimed at recycling organic resources at the building level.

EKOVORE offers modular communal compost bins whose capacity can be tailored precisely to the number of households wishing to dispose of their organic waste, the space available and the desired level of self-sufficiency. They are designed to minimise nuisances (odours, rodents) and maximise ease of use for residents.

EKOVORE freestanding compost bins are designed to prevent unauthorised access, thanks to a fully enclosed structure on all six sides. This design effectively promotes the biological conversion of kitchen waste into compost, even in dense urban environments.

Choosing a fully enclosed composter, combined with good feeding practices (a balanced mix and covering the organic waste), helps to ensure that the composting process remains clean and under control.

A well-managed compost heap does not produce odours. The balance between wet materials (food waste) and dry materials (bedding such as wood chips, sawdust and shredded wood) is essential to prevent the anaerobic fermentation that causes unpleasant odours.

Closed, ventilated compost bins, such as the EKOVORE range, are designed for urban use: they prevent access by rodents and ensure optimal conditions for decomposition. In urban settings, regular additions of waste and monitoring of the compost remain key factors.

EKOVORE offers a range of freestanding individual compost bins in various capacities: 275L, 300L, 500L and 800L, available in two heights (110 or 155 cm). All models are rodent-proof on six sides, fitted with an integrated seeding tray and a gravity-fed emptying system compatible with either a standard wheelbarrow or a bin. They can be installed on any type of ground.

EKOVORE individual compost bins are designed to accommodate 2 to 20 people, depending on the size chosen. The modular communal compost bin is designed for larger groups, housing estates, schools and businesses, featuring interlocking modules that can be combined to suit the site’s requirements. Both ranges share the same features: rodent-proof on all six sides, gravity-fed emptying and a seeding tray.

Yes. EKOVORE offers high-capacity modular systems designed for the catering industry, food markets and sites that generate large volumes of bio-waste. These systems comply with the requirement to sort bio-waste at source, which has been in force in France since 2024.

Yes. EKOVORE offers a communal composting unit designed to serve 50 households, conceived as a piece of street furniture in its own right — robust, attractive and suitable for integration into a public space or residential courtyard. Its galvanised steel structure is resistant to heavy use and vandalism. It is equipped with a manually operated compost lift, which makes it easy to turn the compost without significant physical effort and reduces musculoskeletal strain for compost coordinators. Its roof is green with an integrated rainwater harvesting system. It is a solution designed for social housing providers, property management companies, local authorities and developers.

A dry toilet composter is designed to process waste from dry toilets. Its distinctive feature is that it incorporates a leachate collection tray at the base. This above-ground design allows it to be used on any surface, even waterproof ones. It operates on a maturation cycle of at least two years to naturally eliminate pathogens.

Yes. It is precisely its above-ground design that sets the EKOVORE dry toilet composter apart from conventional systems. It can be installed on concrete, tarmac or paving, in a building’s courtyard or on a terrace, without any infrastructure work.

Yes, provided certain health and safety rules are followed. Solid waste must be composted for at least two years. The management of leachate depends on the type of sewage system: in communal systems, the bin can be connected to the sewerage network. Reference resources: Réseau Compost Citoyen and Réseau d’Assainissement Écologique set out the applicable regulatory framework.

Two full years of maturation are required to ensure that pathogens are eliminated. The EKOVORE dry toilet’s two-chamber system allows for continuous operation: whilst one chamber fills up, the other matures.

Leachate is the liquid produced by the decomposition of organic matter. The EKOVORE dry toilet composter collects it by gravity into a 300-litre stainless steel tank fitted with a padlockable valve. It can be connected to the mains drainage system or automatically transferred to an IBC storage container using the optional 12V pump kit.

The size required depends on the number of daily users, the frequency of use and the volume of waste produced. Whether for residential or communal use, a block of flats, a cultural venue, a business or a local authority, please contact us for advice tailored to your specific situation.

This is a common issue in urban settings and semi-public spaces. The EKOVORE dry toilet composter incorporates rodent protection into both the cell structure and the leachate collection tank. This is a crucial factor to check before making any purchase or installing the unit in a densely populated urban area.

Yes. Dog waste can be composted, provided that a suitable system is used and strict hygiene rules are followed. Unlike conventional organic waste, it may contain pathogens that require a longer decomposition time.

The EKOVORE dry toilet composter is particularly well suited to this purpose. Designed to process high-risk organic matter (human or animal waste), it features a leachate collection tank and operates on a maturation cycle of at least two years, allowing for the natural sanitisation of the material.

EKOVORE’s ROSILUV rainwater harvesting system can fill a 1,000-litre IBC-type tank independently thanks to its 4.3 m² roof area. The water collected can be used for watering green spaces, street cleaning or non-potable purposes within buildings.

EKOVORE’s ROSILUV range is specifically designed to be integrated into green roof and sponge roof projects — which involve the retention and slow release of rainwater. These systems help to reduce urban runoff and mitigate heat islands.

Yes. By collecting rainwater at source — from roofs, facades or impervious surfaces — systems such as EKOVORE’s REËNSTOK or ROSILUV contribute to the functional de-impermeabilisation of cities. This is an increasingly important consideration in local urban planning schemes and sustainable development projects.

Yes, that is possible. We have developed REËNSTOK for use in existing buildings, particularly in historic town centres, where it is often impossible to install an underground tank.

The system replaces an existing rainwater downpipe without requiring any alterations to the gutter or ground-level installations. The storage modules are mounted on the façade and can be installed across multiple storeys, with no specific height restrictions.

Absolutely. EKOVORE’s REËNSTOK and ROSILUV systems are regularly incorporated into sustainable development projects, HQE or BiodiverCity certification schemes, and ZAN (zero net land take) initiatives. We can support project owners and design consultancies during the design phase.

EKOVORE offers the BOB Classic and BOB Kub ranges, recycling bins designed for urban environments: robust, attractive and easy for waste collection staff to empty using vacuum systems. A range of sizes is available to suit footfall and site layout.

The BOB Classic and BOB Kub recycling bins feature separate openings for different waste streams — glass, packaging and general waste — with clear pictograms. The design of the bins is intended to encourage correct sorting without the need for complex signage.

EKOVORE is a brand created by the industrial design studio FALTAZI, based in Nantes. The products are manufactured in France, in Brittany and the Pays de la Loire region.

The circular economy is about keeping resources in use for as long as possible and recycling waste into raw materials. When applied to urban infrastructure, this means: collecting urine to turn it into fertiliser, converting bio-waste into compost, and reusing rainwater. This is the guiding principle behind the EKOVORE range.

By combining URITROTTOIRS (reducing water consumption associated with sanitation), EKOVORE composters (diverting bio-waste from incineration or landfill) and rainwater harvesting systems (replacing drinking water for non-potable uses), a local authority can significantly reduce its environmental impact. EKOVORE offers a range of practical, low-tech solutions to provide effective resilience for our cities.

Yes. The entire EKOVORE range is designed to be integrated into projects with high environmental standards. We can assist project management teams with their decisions.

Incorporating these elements at an early stage — during the planning, preliminary design and detailed design phases — is the best way to ensure consistency between the facilities and the project: footprint, user flow, accessibility for maintenance, and any necessary connections. Facilities such as waterless urinals, communal compost bins or rainwater harvesting systems have specific installation requirements that are best anticipated in collaboration with the project management teams rather than being dealt with as a separate trade at the end of the project.

Yes. It is possible to cover the entire cycle — urine collection within buildings, collection in public spaces, treatment of faecal matter from dry toilets, and the recovery of food waste — using complementary and coordinated equipment. This approach to ecological sanitation at the scale of a block or neighbourhood is particularly well-suited to eco-neighbourhoods, ambitious urban regeneration projects and local authorities committed to a circular economy approach. Contact us for bespoke support.