A British manufacturer has developed what it claims is “the world’s most environmentally friendly toilet cistern”, which works using waste water from air conditioning units.
According to its manufacturers, eco-cistem uses grey condensate water for flushing, which it believes makes it a “revolutionary solution” for water conservation. Designed specifically to work with air conditioning units, condensate water which typically goes directly into the waste pipe is redirected to the toilet cistern and used in the toilet’s flushing.
The product was developed by The Green Futures Initiative Ltd, which now trades under the name of eco-cistem as well. The company was founded by Yorkshire-based Mechanical, Electrical, and Public Health (MEP) building services company G&H.
According to eco-cistem, the product has already been installed in several hotels and office facilities, and has already delivered significant water savings.
Internally, the eco-cistem unit features a patented 18-litre, twin-chamber cistern that can store up to 12 litres of ‘free’ condensate grey water above the standard 6-litre chamber dedicated to flushing the toilet. The company says it prioritises using the grey water for flushing, and only pulls in fresh water if no grey water is available.
Eco-cistem believes that it is well positioned for growth, as climate change will likely drive UK air conditioning sales to dramatically increase in years to come.
The business owners also say the product has already received WRAS approval, and has also passed the AB Air Gap test, and is eligible for BREEAM points.
Back in 2023, Paul Crossley, the former managing director of shower tray manufacturer JT, was appointed to be eco-cistem’s managing director. When he came on board, he was tasked with refining the product design and branding, streamlining the UK manufacturing process ad establishing several test sites for the product.
According to the company, with the development work now completed, the product is already in stock and ready for distribution.
“eco-cistem is a brilliant innovation that is the world’s most environmentally friendly toilet cistern,” Crossley commented, announcing the product’s launch. “I was introduced to the product in early 2023, and it has taken almost a year to get the product, brand, and manufacturing ready to market. The initial idea of eco-cistem was to provide a sustainable solution for a client, and it has now become a stand-alone business.
“As an investor, significant shareholder and Managing Director of eco-cistem, I’m excited to be back in business and look forward to sharing this innovative water-saving solution with all my connections.”
Paul Crossley departed JT back in 2019, when it was acquired by Kartell UK, one of the largest suppliers of radiators to the independent and merchant showroom sector.