Boeing 787 toilets, like those on most commercial aircraft, use a vacuum system to flush and store waste, drawing it into a holding tank through a series of pipes via a powerful suction.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
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When you press the flush button, a valve opens at the bottom of the toilet bowl, exposing it to a pneumatic vacuum.
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This vacuum sucks the waste and blue cleaning fluid into a "closed waste system" or holding tank through a series of pipes.
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The toilet suction works by pressure difference, with the toilet bowl connected to a waste tank kept at lower pressure.
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When on the ground, a pump is used to create a vacuum.
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In the air, the pressure difference is created using the lower external pressure compared to the pressurized cabin.
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The waste collected in the holding tank is stored until the aircraft lands.
