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Is there a functional reason for why toilet lids do not close in an air-tight fashion? If there were no openings for the particles to escape through, it seems like it would make closing the lid more effective.

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Wouldn't the air above the water tend to hold the water in the bowl, since emptying the bowl would create a partial vacuum? And would that effect, if it exists, be enough to prevent effective flushing?

Water in = water out. This shouldn't be much of a problem.

If anything it would really help avoiding clogging. Perhaps you can even get rid of the water reservoir and use pumped water instead.

The lid could be transparent to make sure no surprises are left behind.

how would you open it without struggling to pry it from the suction?

It could have a seal like a fridge door.

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