A critical visitor management challenge brought on by Torres del Paine’s increasing popularity is waste management. Most backcountry and even front-country toilet systems are outdated and undersized, and installing and maintaining large flush systems in remote areas is an energy and cost intensive undertaking.

The Legacy Fund partnered with the nonprofit “Do Good Shit” to provide a low-cost, low-maintenance, low-odor, and high--performance remote waste management option for backcountry areas of the national park. Between 2019 - 2021, the two organizations financed and organized the installation of three, urine diverting toilets and housing units in backcountry campgrounds. Currently, these three units are operating in the Japonés, Pingo, and Italiano campgrounds.

Urine diversion is key.

The waterless system + liquid-solid separation significantly reduces final waste amounts, even compared with composting systems. This is particularly helpful for parks like Torres del Paine that use barrel fly-outs via helicopter to manage backcountry waste.

The system will reduce helicopter trips by 1⁄4 of their previous requirement. This Eco-Domeo technology, which we hope will catalyze a change in the use of sustainable toilets in Patagonia, was installed with support from the architectural company Polivalente.