Composting toilet

[Steve_S1]

I'm thinking about a composting toilet in my TT. I have the room for it but I would like to know if anyone has gone this route?

[Stephen_W]

FWIW, Natures Head and AirHead are two brands that are becoming popular on sailboats, eliminating inevitable hand pump repairs and the holding tank-overboard discharge issue. They use a small computer cooling fan to draw any odors outside. The urine collection and disposal methods can be a challenge, depending on the design.

[camperforlife]

free radical wrote:

Steve S wrote:
Yes but they're vented and have a fan.
There's one made in Sweden and they claim they've made one that has no smell and the company has been around for decades.
I'm trying to avoid a septic system if possible.

this one maybe
www.clivusmultrum.com

The link above is a brand of one that is used at a local environmental center where I volunteer. It gets a lot of use and I have never caught a whiff of an odor even in the hottest weather.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Steve S wrote:
Thanks for the link, its almost like a porta john that gets cleaned out.
I'm really hoping to get a composter that fits in the trailer as I have the room for it.
Also I read here somewhere that a macarator can shoot everything 100 ft through a 1 inch pipe. That sounds integrating to if it would work.

If you're thinking of the macerator combined with a composting toilet:

The macerators I'm familiar with are for systems with plenty of water in them...don't know if such a thing exists for pushing dry solids.

[Steve_S1]

Thanks for the link, its almost like a porta john that gets cleaned out.
I'm really hoping to get a composter that fits in the trailer as I have the room for it.
Also I read here somewhere that a macarator can shoot everything 100 ft through a 1 inch pipe. That sounds integrating to if it would work.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Steve S wrote:



This is interesting, I've yet to come across the cassette toilets online, if you have a link to them could you post it?
Thanks! 🙂

Here's one.

One caveat, though: I think someone referred to a "vented" cassette toilet...I've never seen one that's vented to the outside of the rig, if that's what was meant.

Main difference between a cassette and a porta-potty is that the top part of the cassette is a permanent install, and the bottom tank part is removed for dumping, usually from outside the rig.

[Steve_S1]

mlts22 wrote:
There is a company called Nature's Head which makes RV composting toilets. Liquids go into a bottle, solids go into a bin "seeded" with peat moss. The main problem is finding a place to empty the bin, as well as the golden shower bottle.

For a dedicated boondocker, this wouldn't be a problem, as it is relatively little waste, and eventually the solids will compost. However, for someone at a CG, this can be a hassle because it requires getting one's hands dirty to empty out the bin.

Given the choice, I'd probably go for a vented cassette toilet. It carries 5-6 gallons at most, easily emptied down a toilet, and if one is boondocking where waste disposal is impossible, one can buy multiple cassettes to have on hand.

This is interesting, I've yet to come across the cassette toilets online, if you have a link to them could you post it?
Thanks! 🙂

[mlts22]

There is a company called Nature's Head which makes RV composting toilets. Liquids go into a bottle, solids go into a bin "seeded" with peat moss. The main problem is finding a place to empty the bin, as well as the golden shower bottle.

For a dedicated boondocker, this wouldn't be a problem, as it is relatively little waste, and eventually the solids will compost. However, for someone at a CG, this can be a hassle because it requires getting one's hands dirty to empty out the bin.

Given the choice, I'd probably go for a vented cassette toilet. It carries 5-6 gallons at most, easily emptied down a toilet, and if one is boondocking where waste disposal is impossible, one can buy multiple cassettes to have on hand.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Steve S wrote:

EsoxLucius wrote:
The human waste humus from composting toilets cannot be used in garden areas where plants and vegetables are grown for human consumption. Hot turn composting can result in finished humus in 20 days. The Nature's Head composting toilet uses the hot turn method of composting. With two people, the Nature's Head will go about five weeks before it needs to be emptied. If one doesn't have flower beds in which to dump it, it can go into a 13 gallon plastic bag and thrown in the garbage. Use of a BioBag would be even better!

By the time you dump the composted contents it is more like dirt and not much like sewage.

Per federal dispersed camping rules one can dig a hole six (6) to twelve (12) inches deep at least 100 feet away from any water source to dispose of the urine. The composted humus could be put into a separate like hole. Before leaving, fill the holes with the dirt dug up to make them. Again, keeping the urine and humus separate virtually eliminates odor problems.

This is the one I'm looking at the moment, it seems like a good product.
I'm also trying to find one that runs on electric as well.

Camping is one thing- described above are "rules" for public lands, etc, and really just describe proper scat hole practices. No need to compost at all in that setting. Lots of folks use the good old sawdust toilet for indoors, and dump in the properly prepared holes.

It sounds like you're going to be setting up permanently, and on private property- that's a whole different can of worms. No pun intended...

Interestingly, there are some jurisdictions where not only composting toilets but old fashioned OUTHOUSES are still allowed, though of course "regulated" to a certain degree. My home State of Washington is one such State- see rules at this link.

Dunno if your Province allows/provides for anything similar.

[Steve_S1]

EsoxLucius wrote:
The human waste humus from composting toilets cannot be used in garden areas where plants and vegetables are grown for human consumption. Hot turn composting can result in finished humus in 20 days. The Nature's Head composting toilet uses the hot turn method of composting. With two people, the Nature's Head will go about five weeks before it needs to be emptied. If one doesn't have flower beds in which to dump it, it can go into a 13 gallon plastic bag and thrown in the garbage. Use of a BioBag would be even better!

By the time you dump the composted contents it is more like dirt and not much like sewage.

Per federal dispersed camping rules one can dig a hole six (6) to twelve (12) inches deep at least 100 feet away from any water source to dispose of the urine. The composted humus could be put into a separate like hole. Before leaving, fill the holes with the dirt dug up to make them. Again, keeping the urine and humus separate virtually eliminates odor problems.

This is the one I'm looking at the moment, it seems like a good product.
I'm also trying to find one that runs on electric as well.

[EsoxLucius]

The composting toilet is completely contained within the bathroom of the RV. There is no tank or material storage outside the heated confines of the RV. The separation of solids and liquids are just a different way of doing things. Necessary to enjoy the advantages of the system.

[free_radical]

EsoxLucius wrote:
As with many things, it is not the ineffectiveness of the system. The problems usually stem from operator error and people not able to accept a concept foreign to them.

as someone mentioned before the urine and solid waste has to be separated for this type of toilet to work properly,also keeping everything warm for composting action to happen is a must,something not easily done in all enviroments..
maybe insulating it would help?

[EsoxLucius]

As with many things, it is not the ineffectiveness of the system. The problems usually stem from operator error and people not able to accept a concept foreign to them.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Even municipalites that once embraced this type of system are now complaining about its ineffectiveness at actually performing as advertised.

Since the O.P. is in British Columbia, he may be interested in the following CBC/ BC story on that subject.

[EsoxLucius]

The human waste humus from composting toilets cannot be used in garden areas where plants and vegetables are grown for human consumption. Hot turn composting can result in finished humus in 20 days. The Nature's Head composting toilet uses the hot turn method of composting. With two people, the Nature's Head will go about five weeks before it needs to be emptied. If one doesn't have flower beds in which to dump it, it can go into a 13 gallon plastic bag and thrown in the garbage. Use of a BioBag would be even better!

By the time you dump the composted contents it is more like dirt and not much like sewage.

Per federal dispersed camping rules one can dig a hole six (6) to twelve (12) inches deep at least 100 feet away from any water source to dispose of the urine. The composted humus could be put into a separate like hole. Before leaving, fill the holes with the dirt dug up to make them. Again, keeping the urine and humus separate virtually eliminates odor problems.