However, many users of manufactured composting toilets by Sun-Mar, Envirolet, BioLet and other composting toilet models have had less than ideal experiences with their composting toilets.  As with the problems with homemade composting toilets that I have discussed in my personal account of using a humanure homemade composting toilet, the problems with manufactured composting toilets are frequently due more to user error than due to a problem with the toilet composting system itself.  Still, these problems are common enough to suggest that there needs to be made more effort on the part of manufacturers to properly educate consumers about common problems with these systems and how to avoid them.

Here are some of the common problems users report with different manufactured composting models – as well as some ways these problems may be remedied or avoided altogether.

1. Problems with liquid build up in the composting toilet.

This is by far the most common complaint I have common across in my research of manufactured composting toilets complaints (it also was a problem I experienced with homemade composting toilet buckets, but due to their small size and frequency of being emptied not as significant of a problem, I think).  This fluid is generally a result of people urinating in the toilet.  The composting process will simply not work properly in most composting toilet systems if there is too much fluid in the system.

Some users, and even some manufacturers, recommend not using composting toilets to urinate in, but this does not seem like an adequate solution to me (and many other users).  Particularly for females, it is a hassle to have to urinate in a separate container or outdoors (not to mention that this may be illegal in some areas).  Excess liquid can be controlled, however, by adding adequate amounts of dry material to balance the composting matter and using electric fans and heaters to help evaporate and dispel excess moisture (so for those purchasing non-electric models, extra care will have to be taken to keep the system in order).  In addition, there are now models being manufactured that divert urine away from the “dry” composting area (for fecal matter).  For an example of this system, check out the Nature’s Head composting toilets.

2. Problems with Odor.

A well functioning composting toilet (whether homemade or manufactured) should be odorless.  Odor problems are a sign that there is a serious problem with the system.  Frequently this is due to the liquid issues discussed above.

Composting toilets rely on aerobic decomposition, but with excess liquid, the process will instead convert to anaerobic decomposition (for a discussion of these two processes, read “How Toilet Composting Works“).  Both of these decomposition processes are found in nature, but anaerobic decomposition is the the smelly one, and if your toilet has gotten out of balance, the smell can be quite bad indeed.

To remedy this problem, you need to get your compost back in balance by adding dry matter to it.  Unfortunately, if it is really bad, you may have to remove some of the liquid matter first – a quite unpleasant task – so it is best to try to keep this problem from developing in the first place!

3. Problems with removing the finished compost from the toilet.

There are two significant problems users may encounter when it is time to remove the compost.  First, we return again to the issue of excess liquid – if the mixture is too wet, it will be difficult and smelly removal process (and you may well decide to remove the toilet along with the compost!).

A second issue some users report is a result of overloading the system.  For most composting toilets, you need to make sure the finished compost is removed promptly.  You may also be able to make the process of removal easier by using very lightweight organic brown matter for your dry matter in the composting toilet.  Peat moss may be an ideal medium for most composting toilets (although there may be concerns about using it due to environmental issues).

Switching to any toilet composting system – be it homemade or manufactured – requires a significant change in practice and much education.  Anticipating what are very common problems by users, and providing full disclosure of these issues are and how to resolve them, would be a great benefit many users of these toilet composting systems.  Furthermore, it would also help promote composting toilet usage instead of leaving some composting toilet users frustrated, angry and often abandoning and discouraging others from using a valuable green technology.

For more information about composting toilets and reviews of different composting toilet systems, please return to the Toilet Composting Home Page.

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Here is a list of several different composting toilet manufacturers, and links to the reviews written about them at this website.

If you would like to suggest another company for review, please use the contact information listed in the “About Me” page listed above:

1. BioLet Composting Toilets
2. Clivus Multrum Composting Toilets
3. EcoTech Carousel Composting Toilets
4. Envirolet Composting Toilets
5. Homemade Composting Toilets
6. Nature’s Head Composting Toilets
7. Phoenix Composting Toilets
8. Sun-Mar Composting Toilets
   

For additional  information about composting toilets, including answers to some of the most Frequently Asked Questions about Composting Toilets, and articles about the basics of Composting Toilets, please return to the Toilet Composting Homepage.

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Most composting toilet manufacturers state this is a problem with how these models are being operated.  Users must add the proper amount of dry carbon materials when they are using them (sawdust, peat moss and the like) and electric fans and heating elements should also help eliminate excess liquid as well.  Still, many find that finding the proper balance is a challenge and often are discouraged or angry when their composting toilets become out of balance.

The Nature’s Head composting toilet may be a solution for those who are frustrated with dealing with excess liquid in their toilets.  This composting toilet has a unique internal separation device the diverts urine into a separate tank (to be emptied frequently by the user), thus keeping the other portion of the composting toilet essentially dry (in fact, you made need to add moisture to this toilet in order to ensure complete and proper composting).

The Nature’s Head composting toilet models also are a bit easier on the pocket book than many other composting toilet systems.  The basic Nature’s Head Composting Toilet starts at $850, nearly half the price of a Sun-Mar mobile composting toilet which is designed for similar purposes (marine and recreational vehicle use.  The unique design features of the Sun-Mar Mobile are discussed in the article “Composting Toilets for Boats“).

However, Nature’s Head composting toilets are not for everyone.  These models were specifically designed for mobile applications (campers, boats, trailers and the like) and have a limited user capacity.  They are built for small spaces, but may seem a bit small for residential purposes.  If more than a couple of people will be using your composting toilet, you will probably be better off considering a remote composting toilet system rather than a small, self-contained model such as that being produced by Nature’s Head.

Nature’s head is a fairly new company on the composting toilet front and do not have a huge track record to back them up (”head” is the term boaters use to refer to toilets, hence the name “Nature’s Head”).  The company is headquartered in Mobile, Alabama and started production and shipping of their composting toilets in June, 2007.  The few reviews that I have found and read, however, have been quite positive.

If you are interested in reading more about portable composting toilets for marine, camping and other outdoor applications, as well as additional articles covering the basics of toilet composting and other manufacturer reviews, please return to the Toilet Composting website.

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This ecovillage relied heavily on Joseph Jenkin’s humanure toilet composting system, sometimes referred to the “Five Gallon Bucket” composting toilet because, as the name implies, it involves using five gallon buckets to collect human waste (along with dry brown organic matter – we used sawdust from a local mill – and toilet paper).  This was a relatively new ecovillage when I joined it, and many members were strapped for cash as they were building their homes (out of strawbales, cob and other local, environmentally sustainable materials).

Jenkin’s composting toilets were cheap and easy to make (read more about how to build a composting toilet based on Jenkin’s design here).  So during the “pioneer phase” of this community’s development, humanure composting toilets were placed in various buildings and outhouses in the community and a rotational system was put in place whereby each member had a shift for emptying and cleaning the five gallon buckets into the humanure compost bins.  It is probably no surprise that this rotation was not very popular in the village.  Many members came up with often quite elaborate excuses to get out of the humanure rotation when their turn came up, and it was a source of considerable tension in the village.

Over the two years I spent living in this ecovillage, I had the personal “opportunity” to process the humanure on about twenty different occasions.   Missouri probably is not the best of climate situations in which to have such a toilet composting system (although the lack of building codes in the region was also what made it feasible in the ecovillage).  During the winter months the composting buckets (which were stored outdoors to limit odors indoors) would freeze and we would have to bring them inside to thaw out before it was possible to carry the dozen or more (often quite heavy) buckets to the composting bins located about a quarter mile away from where they were stored (there was a cart that could be used for this chore, but it was often broken, or difficult to use during the winter months when there was quite a bit of snow on the ground).  And during the hot summer months, the compost buckets became quite foul smelling and also very liquid in nature, so it was difficult to empty them into the bins without having quite a bit of fecal matter splashing onto your clothes and body.

Besides the physical strength needed to haul the buckets, the physical discomfort experienced when emptying and cleaning them, and the social tensions surrounding the humanure rotation system, there were other considerable health issues as well.  The five gallon buckets were stored in a single location as they were filled which was also near the main water cistern for the community.  The cistern, unsurprisingly, eventually became contaminated with E. Coli bacteria.   At community dinner time, I also often wondered if some of the flies that ended up in our kitchen might have visited the humanure composting heap earlier in the day as well.

All in all, you could say my experience with this system was not positive.  However, this does not mean I discount this toilet composting system entirely.  I believe many of the problems with the system at the ecovillage was due to poor decisions made by community members about where to store the buckets, how to deal with disposing of the waste, and so forth.  I also believe the community had long outgrown the usefulness of such a system, and should have invested the time and resources into developing an easier to use system that could deal with the growing population of the village in a sanitary method (I believe the community would have benefited greatly by investing in a manufactured composting toilet system using both self-contained and remote composting toilets in their facilities).

I do still believe Jenkin’s humanure composting toilet system has an important role to play in the toilet composting debate.  For single individuals (or very small family units) with little financial resources and a strong commitment to composting their waste, I believe the system may work quite well for them.  However, for larger family units and for individuals with disabilities, busy schedules, or a general desire to minimize their contact with unprocessed humanure waste, a manufactured composting toilet model should definitely be considered instead.

If you are interested in reading more articles about toilet composting systems, including micro-flush and vacuum composting toilets, and composting toilet reviews, please visit the Toilet Composting Homepage.

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Similarities between Homemade and Manufactured Compost Toilets

Each type of composting system will be used in basically the same manner.  After using the toilet, you will add some brown organic matter (for example, peat moss or sawdust) to keep the compost balanced between green and brown matter.  Also, both homemade and manufactured composting toilets will produce the same end product: a rich compost that can be used to amend soil around trees, bushes, flowers and non-edible plants.

Differences between Homemade and Manufactured Compost Toilets

One of the major differences is how the composting process will work with each of these systems.  With a manufactured system, the composting will generally take place within a centralized composting chamber located beneath the toilet, in a series of rotating buckets, or with self-contained models, right under the seat.

Some models will have a built in turning system to speed up the process, others will provide ample space so that the compost will move slowly downwards over time and will be fully composted by the time it reaches the bottom of the chamber.  With manufactured toilets, users will only come in contact with the toilet contents once they are fully compost and ready to be used.

Homemade compost toilets, on the other hand, generally rely on a small container under the compost toilet being emptied into an outdoors compost bin.  With a homemade compost toilet, users will have to empty uncomposted materials into the compost bin where the composting process will then take place.

Advantages of a Manufactured Compost Toilet

The ease of use is one of the main advantages of a manufactured composting toilet.  Users will not have to haul waste to an outdoor composting toilet, nor will they have to worry about turning the composting waste, animals entering the compost bins and so forth.  Although users do need to ensure that there is a right balance of brown and green composting materials in the chamber (by making sure they add brown matter when using the toilet), most manufactured compost toilets require little effort from their owners.

Other advantages of manufactured compost toilets are their aesthetics and comfort.   Many models look remarkably similar to flush toilets (there are even micro flush composting toilets that are nearly identical in appearance to flush toilets).  Most models are manufactured for maximum comfort and ease of use.

Finally, many manufactured compost toilets have been certified by different health and sanitation agencies, and this can assist with getting local permits approving these systems.

Advantages of Homemade Compost Toilets

The primary advantage of a homemade compost toilet is the price: you can build your own composting toilet for under $50 in materials.  For those wanting a quick and cheap set up, you can not beat a homemade compost toilet.

Many would argue that another huge advantage of building your own compost toilet is the sense of accomplishment you will have and the intimate knowledge you will develop regarding the composting process.

For more information, comparisons and reviews of toilet composting systems, return to the Toilet Composting Homepage.

Are you interested in using solar energy, but are discouraged by the high prices of solar panels? If so, click here to learn how to build you own solar panels for less than $200!

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Clivus Multrum Composting Toilet System.

“Clivus Multrum” refers to both a certain type of toilet composting system and the manufacturer of that system.  Clivus mean “incline” in Latin, while “Multrum” is a Swedish word meaning compost room, so Clivus Multrum literally means “inclining compost room.”

The first Clivus Multrum composting toilet system was built in 1939 in Sweden by Rikard Lindström, and this prototype was eventually patented in the 1960s.  The Clivus Multrum composting toilet system involves a large remote tank connected by a slope to a toilet.  The system requires a large accesible lower space beneath the toilet.

In the 1970s Abby Rockefeller founded Clivus Multrum Inc. in the United States under a license from Lindström.  With the current models using this system, a ventilation system will continously pull air down creating a completely odorless composting toilet system.   Their also now is an automatic moistening system that will help keep the compost at the right moisture level for composting, and an automatic process to remove excess liquid from the composter as well.

Currently Clivus Multrum is marketing their composting systems towards more industrial and governmental purposes than towards home consumers.   They have a special “Trailhead” design aimed for use by national and state park services and portable models for use at golf courses and remote recreation areas.  For more information, you can visit the Clivus Multrum website.

Phoenix Composting Toilet System

The Phoenix composting toilet system is manufactured by Advanced Composting Systems, LLC, based in Whitefish, Montana.  The company has been manufacturing composting toilets for over 27 years, and also creates prefabricated buildings.

The Phoenix composting toilet system was developed in the 1980s by Glenn Nelson, who prior to founding this company was a licensed manufacturer of Clivus Multrum toilets.  Nelson used his experience with the Clivus Multrum composting system to build the Phoenix models, although they are unique in design.

Nelson sought to improve a few problems he saw with the Clivus Multrum system in the Phoenix design.  One such issue was the slope of the composting tank found in the Clivus Multrum system, which caused concern about “fresher” composting materials possibly mixing with older materials awaiting harvest.  Another issue Nelson pointed to with the Clivus Multrum original designs was how liquid pooled at the bottom of the sloped tank, turning the process from aerobic decomposition into anerobic decomposition (for a discussion of the differences between these two forms, see “How Toilet Composting Works“).

Nelson created a toilet composting system which addressed both of these problems  (Clivus Multrum representatives argue they have now also addressed both these problems with their own redesigns of their system).  The Phoenix composting toilet is manufactured out of rotationally molded polyethylene, and unfortunately does not rely much on recycled plastic in its design.  There are residential models available, although they are quite expensive when compared to other composting toilets on the market (the cheapest and smallest residential model starts around $3500).  For more information visit the Phoenix Composting Toilet website.

For additional reviews of composting toilets, including the Sun-Mar, BioLet, Envirolet and EcoTech models, visit the Toilet Composting information website.

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Envirolet is a Canadian based company manufacturering composting toilets since 1977 (they have distributors in the United States and Europe as well).  Sancor Industries manufacturers the Envirolet Composting toilets, and you are able to purchase these directly from the manufacturer.

There are currently four types of envirolet composting models available.  Their Waterless Self-Contained non-electric model is the most affordable, costing around $1750 USD.  This model contains a small wind turbine on the vent stack which assists with ventilation (instead of an electric fan).  Their centralized systems include both waterless and low flush models.  Their electric waterless remote system is sized for eight individuals, and costs about $2300 USD (not including installation costs).  Their newest model, the “FlushSmart” composting toilet, looks and operates in a manner that is remarkably similar to a flush toilet, and starts around $3300 USD.  You will need to install a drain system to work with the low flush systems.

Envirolet seems to be a good choice particularly for consumers interested in flush toilet composting systems.  These models still use considerable less amount of water than regular flush toilets, but some may find them distasteful in how they mimic a very wasteful and environmentally harmful technology (see “What is Wrong with a Flush Toilet?”).

EcoTech is a manufacturer of probably the most popular carousel composting toilet system on the market (for a discussion of different composting systems read “Types of Toilet Composting Systems“).  The EcoTech carousel is based on a Norwegian composting toilet design popular with residents of housing developments in Scandanavia. There are currently over 35,000 EcoTech carousel composting toilets currently installed in Norway.

The carousel features four rotating composting chambers that are meant to be emptied anywhere between twice a year and once every four years depending on model and use.  There are two main models available, the medium and large EcoTech Carousel.

The medium EcoTech carousel model is built for daily use by up to four individuals, and starts around $2700 USD.  The large model can accomodate up to six individuals with daily use, and starts around $4400.  (Listed prices do not include importanat accessories such as heaters, exhaust fans, pipes and fittings, nor do they include any installation or shipping costs).

A huge advantage of the EcoTech carousel system is that the system design ensures that no “fresh” material can mix with the older composting materials (which can be an issue with certain self-contained and remote composting toilet systems).  You will need a basement or similar space underneath the toilet in order to use this system as there are, unfortunately, no self-contained models.  The EcoTech carousel is well suited for four to six individuals using the system daily, and will thus suit most family needs.

If you are interested in reading reviews of other composting systems, including a comparison of the Sun-Mar and BioLet composting toilets, please return to the Toilet Composting Home Page.

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Two of the most popular composting toilets currently being manufactured are the Sun-Mar composting toilet and the BioLet composting toilet.  Both these companies produce several different models of composting toilets and in this review I will discuss features of only a few of their models.  You may want to visit the manufacturers’ websites (Sun-Mar, BioLet) to see all the models and features available that they offer.

Sun-Mar Composting Toilets

Sun-Mar is one of the most well known composting toilet manufacturers in North America. Founded in 1971, the Sun-Mar corporation currently has 22 different composting toilets available, ranging from small portable composting toilets that can be used on boats and RV’s to larger centralized systems suitable for an entire family.  They offer both electric and non-electric models, and their centralized systems come in both dry and low flush formats. Their best-selling self-contained model is the “Excel” which they say can accommodate up to four individuals living in a household. Their larger centralized models, such as the “Centrex 3000 AF” are built to accommodate up to ten individuals (”seasonally” they say).  Their portable “Sun-Mar Mobile” composting toilet model is also very popular with boaters.  Self-contained models start at around $1500 (U.S.), while the centralized units can cost well over $2000, although installation and additional features will add to these costs, especially with the centralized units.

The Sun-Mar corporation has put a lot of effort into making many of their models nearly odor-free.  This is accomplished by engineering the models so that there is a partial vacuum in them at all times.  Sun-Mar composting toilets have also been certified by the National Sanitation Foundation International, which has strict guidelines on the amount of odorless fecal matter there is in the finished compost product.  If you are interested in watching a promotional YouTube video for the Sun-Mar composting toilet, click here.  Most published online reviews of the Sun-Mar composting toilet seem to be positive.

BioLet Composting Toilets

BioLet is a smaller company than Sun-Mar and was founded in 1991.  Their main focus is on self-contained composting toilets, and currently they are offering four different self-contained models for sale (BioLet 10, 20, 30 and 60).  They have both electric and non-electric models (the BioLet 30 is the non-electric models), suitable for between three to four people when in use full-time.  Models range in price from around $1400 (for the non-electric BioLet 30 version) to $2200 for their larger BioLet 60 model.  You may also be able to find a good deal by checking out the BioLet refurbished page to see if they have any discounted refurbished models for sale.

Some online reviewers have expressed dissatisfaction with the non-electric model.  Some complaints have focused on the odor, which is  common in many non-electric composting toilets since there is no fan mechanism to draw the odor away.  Some have also complained that the fan models are noisy and high maintenance, and that they may not be well-equipped to deal with large amounts of urine (you can read these reviews here.  The company provides many countering positive reviews here).  BioLet also has its own promotional video that you can view here.

I am leaving the comment box below open for individuals who have used either of these brands to leave their own feedback about the models.  Please note that any comments that appear to be blatant promotion for either of these comments will be deleted.  To read more articles and reviews about different composting toilet systems, please return to the Toilet Composting Home Page.

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