1. Getting a Compost Toilet Approved. The most difficult aspect of placing a composting toilet in your home is likely going to be gaining approval and permit by local city officials.  This articles discusses some of the challenges and recent changes in the local approval permitting process for compost toilets.
   
2. Ecological Sanitation and Composting Toilets.  This article discusses the emerging waste paradigm of ecological sanitation.  Sometimes referred to as EcoSan or Eco-San, one of the primary tenants of this paradigm is that human and household “waste” is actually a valuable resource instead of a waste product to be thrown away
3. Common problems with Manufactured Composting Toilets.  Although there are many benefits to using a manufactured composting toilet model in your home, there are also some common problems, which this article discusses.
4. Toilet Composting Basics.  Just a straightforward discussion of the basics of composting toilets, including what they are, how they work and links to resources for more information.
5. Five Reasons You Should Use a Composting Toilet.  If you need more convincing that switching to a composting toilet is a good idea, take a look at this article.
   
6. History of Composting Toilets.  Discusses the somewhat murky history of composting toilets.
7. Incinerating, Desiccating and Composting Toilet Comparisons.  Incinerating and desiccating toilets are two other alternative to flush toilet systems, and this article compares the three different systems.
8. Guide to Purchasing a Compost Toilet.  Here are some of the most important questions you will need answered and issues to consider when purchasing a composting toilet for your home, RV, or boat.
   
9. Leave No Trace: Portable Composting Toilets for Camping.  Camping trips pose special challenges when it comes to properly disposing of and composting waste.  This article discusses some of the most recent products developed to assist with this process.
10. Build a Compost Toilet: Information and Plans.  Discussion and plans for building a homemade compost toilet.
11. How Composting Toilets Work.  Discusses the difference between aerobic and anaerobic decomposition and the mechanics of how the composting process works in composting toilets.
    
12. Advantages and Disadvantages of Composting Toilets.  Although composting toilets are a great green technology, they may not be for everybody.  Here are some of the benefits and challenges of switching to a toilet composting system.

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Ecological sanitation systems seek to to create “closed-loop” sanitation systems by working to make the nutrients from the output of human feces and urine available to input into agricultural uses (which then, by providing food for humans becomes “output” again).   Ecological sanitation methods also promote soil fertility without using chemical fertilizers and work to assure food security for future generations.

According to biointensive agricultural expert John Jeavons, “Each person’s urine and manure contain approximately enough nutrients to produce enough food to feed that person,” and ecological sanitation methods aim to capitalize on this value of human “waste.”  Ecological sanitation methods also aim to reduce the amount of soil, surface and groundwater contamination due to septic or sewage based waste disposal systems.

Composting toilets play an important role in many ecological sanitation based systems, as they are able to turn human and household organic waste into humus which can then be recycled into the environment in very beneficial ways.  The composting toilets used in ecological santiation systems can be either high-tech and low-tech, and both homemade composting toilets and manufactured ones have a role to play in this system.

The homemade composting toilet system developed by Joseph Jenkins is one example of a low-tech (and nearly free) composting toilet that is integrated into an ecological sanitation paradigm.   Joseph Jenkins has also long been an advocate for using the compost produced by these toilets (which he calls “humanure”) for agricultural purposes.  (For more information about humanure, read Jenkin’s book (available online) “The Humanure Handbook.”  You can also read a short article from this website entitled “What is Humanure and What Can I Do with It?“)

As long as the waste disposal system is a closed-loop system and beneficial to the environment, there are many different ways in which ecological sanitation systems can be organized.  Other possible elements that ecological sanitation systems can include are vermicomposting (worm composting), solar toilets, and in some cases, leach fields and planter cells (such as with an earthship design).

For more information, you can read Christine Werner’s excellent article on the topic, “Closing the Loop through Ecological Sanitation” (PDF file).  There are several EcoSan centers globally, including the EcoSan Center at the  Norwegian University fo Life Science UMB and EcoWaters in the USA.

For more information on toilet composting systems and for answers about frequently asked questions about composting toilets, please return to the Toilet Composting Home Page.

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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.

1) Incinerating Toilets. Incinerating toilets rely on electricity or gas to burn waste.  Burn cycles typically take between five and thirty minutes, after which all human waste is turned into ash.  These models do require quite a bit of electricity to run, and some consumers complain that they are quite noisy during the burn cycles.  EcoJohn is currently one of the most popular manufacturers of incinerating toilets.

2) Desiccating Toilets.  Desiccating toilets (also known as dehydrating toilets, solar toilets or drying toilets), are best suited to arid climates where dry ambient air can be circulated into the toilet chamber so that any moisture is eliminated.  When this works properly, the end-result will be both dry and odorless.  Solarsan is a popular manufacturer of dehydrating toilets.

Desiccating toilets must be designed as to divert urine from the chamber in which the feces will be drying in order for them to work properly (the urine can be used for fertilizing applications if so desired).  The drying process usually take several months to complete, after which they can burned, composted or buried.

3) Composting Toilets. Composting toilets systems operate by encouraging aerobic decomposition.  Most composting toilets can reduce organic waste to between 10 and 30 percent of original volume.  The end-product of the composting process is a rich, soil-like material called humus, which can be used as a valuable soil additive.   There are currently many competing manufacturers of composting toilets globally: Sun-Mar, Envirolet, and BioLet are some brand names you may come across when researching different models.  (You can read reviews of some of these models here).

Each of these systems has its advantages and disadvantages.  Desiccating toilets are possibly the best choice in dry areas, incinerating toilets work well for families that want quick disposal of waste without water, and composting toilets can help recycle not only human waste but also other organic waste produced by the household (such as vegetable scraps).

However, there is one prime benefit to composting toilets that neither the incinerating or desiccating toilet system provides: the valuable end-product of humus, a valuable soil additive.  In this way composting toilets not only help eliminate the use of water from toilet systems, but also produce a valuable resource in the process.

If you are interested in reading more about the advantages and disadvantages of composting toilets, please visit the Toilet Composting Home Page where you will find numerous articles about composting toilet systems, including portable composting models suitable for camping and other outdoor applications.

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A portable composting toilet is ideal for camping excursions

In order to protect the environment of national parks and trails, hikers and campers should follow the “Leave No Trace” guidelines. These guidelines help ensure that no individual leaves behind waste that others will encounter while on the trail, and this applies to every kind of waste.  I can remember how on one of my earliest hiking adventures I came upon a disgusting mess of toilet paper and human waste left on the side of the trail.  If you are planning a family camping trip in the near future, you should consider investing in a portable composting toilet to help ensure you follow the “leave no waste” guidelines and leave the outdoor areas as clean as they were before you arrived.

The idea of bringing a portable composting toilet with you to the outdoors might have you envisioning lugging a port-o-potty along with your family on the trail.  But be assured there are other much more reasonable and lightweight options.  Most portable composting toilets on the market will weigh less than five pounds, and will fold down to an easily packable size.  Most models rely on you decomposable composting bags that you will pack-out with you when you return home.

For example, the Nature Bio-Toilet is ideal for family camping excursions. It folds up to only 4 inches high, and weighs less than five pounds.  This model is quite affordable and can be purchased online from Cabelas for around $50.  The toilet can support individuals who weigh up to 250 pounds.

Another option is the PETT Environmental Composting Toilet (pictured above).  This very portable toilet is used by Forest and Park Services and can hold up to 800 pounds, while only weighing 7 pounds.  Pair this with a Cabana portable shelter for privacy if you like as well.

Finally, one of my favorite designs is the Jimmy’s Thunderbox portable composting toilet, made by an Australian manufacturer.  It folds down to less than an inch in height, sets up in just minutes, and weighs well under 10 pounds.  You’ll have to order and have it shipped from Australia if you are interested in using it on your next camping outing, however, so be sure to allow adequate time for delivery.

Please take the time to ensure you are well prepared for your next camping outing by looking into investing in a portable composting toilet.  By doing so you will be able to ensure you truly “leave no trace” and help protect our natural environment.

For more information about portable composting toilet systems suitable for outdoor applications (including larger models that are ideal for large outdoor events), or about toilet composting in general, please return to the Toilet Composting Home Page, where you will find many articles covering the basics of the toilet composting process and answers to commonly asked questions about the safety and advantages of switching to a composting toilet system.

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]]> http://toilet-composting.com/portable-composting-toilet-campin/feed/ 0 http://toilet-composting.com/are-composting-toilets-safe/ http://toilet-composting.com/are-composting-toilets-safe/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:06:00 +0000 M Day http://toilet-composting.com/?p=94 Continue reading]]> Composting toilets provide an important tool to deal with the ever growing problem of how to deal with human waste in a manner which is safe for the environment.  When used correctly, composting toilets produce an end-product which is both odor-free and pathogen-free, and completely safe to use as a soil amendment.

However, improperly composted materials can pose a health risk, just as untreated waste from a flush toilet will threaten human health if let into the environment before being fully treated.   In many ways, however, composting toilets are safer for the environment than septic and sewage systems.  Septic systems pose considerable risks for groundwater contamination in many areas, and sewage systems often fail, the end result being that raw, untreated human waste is allowed to seep into our environment.  Composting toilets run none of these risks.

The process of turning human waste into an environmentally safe and usable product (compost) will take between three months to a few years depending on the system, the climate in which it is located and the temperature of the composting materials.  Some countries, Sweden for example, will allow the urine from certain composting toilet models to be used in agricultural applications in as early as six months.  Human feces pose a much greater risk to human health if not composted properly, and for this reason many countries (the United States included) ban the use of human compost on agricultural crops, although it is generally approved for for non-edible plant uses by most government agencies.

Many government agencies require that composted feces be allowed to break down for a minimum of one year before being used as a mulch around non-edible plants, trees and bushes.  However, many “humanure” advocates say that human feces are completely safe for all agricultural purposes once fully composted.  For example, Joseph Jenkins, author of The Humanure Handbook, is a strong advocate of using composted humanure for agriculture.  It has been argued by these advocates that the reluctance to use this compost agriculturally in the United States and elsewhere arises more from finding the idea aesthetically unpleasing than from real, scientifically-based concerns.

However, regardless of the agricultural argument surrounding humanure application to crops, as long as basic instructions are followed and adequate time is allowed for the composting process, the end-product produced by composting toilet systems should be safe to handle and use.  Composting toilet systems do require that owners assume the responsibility to monitor the composting process and ensure that the materials are fully composted prior to application.

Education about composting toilets is an important part of encouraging their use in the so-called “developed” world.  Many health agencies in the United States and elsewhere have little knowledge of these systems and treat them with considerable suspicion.  Misinformation and suspicion about composting toilets often makes it difficult to get a permit approving their use.  In order to combat this suspicion, it is important that owners and users of composting toilets be open to discussing the systems with others and promoting their use.

For more information and articles about composting toilets, please return to the Toilet Composting Home Page.

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