Composting Toilets
Many styles of composting toilets are available from SunMar. Two of us used the Excell NE ($1495, Apr 2009) full time for several months with great success. There was very little odor and no overflow. If odor or overflow become a problem, use more peat moss. Cover all deposits with peat moss (works best), sawdust or other material. The original factory directions suggested that one pretend there is a rabbit living in the toilet and feed it.
Another very simple and inexpensive composting toilet option is the Sawdust toilet or “The $25 (or less) Hinged-Top Humanure Toilet” used all over the world. This system has three necessary components: the sawdust toilet, cover material (peat moss, sawdust, etc.) and the compost bins. Two compost bins are needed because composted waste must sit for at least one year without fresh manure being added before it is safe to use on your garden. If the compost pile is too small to get hot then wait two years. The entire award winning Humanure Handbook is available as free download online. Hard copies can also be purchased in several languages. No one should be without an inexpensive simple composting Sawdust toilet during periods when potable water is scarce.
One user of a sawdust toilet reported that he had found a way to bypass the need to construct and maintain the composting bin specified by Jenkins. Instead, black trash bags intended for use in a trash compactor (much tougher than garbage bags) were used as a bucket liner. When full, the black bags were removed and put in a sunny spot next to the garden. After an unspecified length of time the contents were completely decomposed and the finished product was without odor. Once the compost had cooked the trash compactor bags could be emptied in the garden and recycled as a fresh liner in the collection container.
Compost temperature is important. In chapter “Monitoring Compost Temperature” of the Humanure Handbook it is said that a temperature of 120 degrees F for a few hours would eliminate pathogenic organisms completely.
Links:
- Article and videos about composting toilets from Off-Grid.
- Sun-Mar Composting Toilets Many models to choose from. The self contained Excel NE (non-electric) sells for $1495. The Sun-Mar Excel (model with electric heater) toilet I have was modifed to use a 4 inch diameter stack instead of the smaller stack used with the electric version. The modification was made to unburden the solar electric system.
- Biolet Composting Toilets. Many models to choose from. The non-electric Biolet NE sells for $1499.
- Humanure Handbook. Free. Available in 7 languages. “Despite all the books on manure and how to use it, human manure composting is not covered elsewhere, making THE HUMANURE HANDBOOK: A GUIDE TO COMPOSTING HUMAN MANURE a fine reference for any who would learn these basics. Now in its 3rd edition, THE HUMANURE HANDBOOK covers all the basics of human waste management, from septic systems to commercial composting toilets, sewers, and more. A history of various composting methods, science, and problems is accompanied by a healthy dose of humor plus a solid foundation of science into pathogens, pros and cons of competing systems, and more. If you’re an avid composter, there’s nothing like this on the market.” Midwest Book Review
- Original and updated system from Omick.net
