Separation toilets – for camper, caravan and off-grid house
Composting toilet – what is it and how does it work?
Finding green solutions in the modern world is no easy task. Many aspects of our daily lives rely on modern technology, and many of them have become so commonplace that we hardly think about their impact on the planet. Think about the toilet in your apartment, for example.
If on average a person flushes the toilet five times a day for 365 days, he flushes 1,825 times in a year, plus or minus one flush. Each flush uses 9 liters of water, which means 1,425 liters of water are wasted each year. However, there is a way to solve this problem, called a composting toilet.
What exactly is a composting toilet?
A composting toilet is not an outcrop or a portable toilet. A composting toilet is a device that turns feces into compost. It creates an oxygen-rich environment that allows aerobic bacteria to break down feces, however, there are several factors to consider to facilitate this natural process.
What does a composting toilet look like?
Composting toilets come in two different designs. One, a stand-alone design, houses the entire composting system, usually under the bowl itself. These types of toilets are usually found in campers, boats or small houses, although some are placed in cabins or similar rural homes for temporary use. These toilets usually have to be emptied manually, while the other type does not.
Another type of composting toilet is the central or remote toilet. These toilets direct solid and sometimes liquid waste to a remote composter located somewhere else on the property. You can think of something like a composting toilet or septic tank. Larger systems can combine multiple toilets, making them ideal for large homes.
How does a composting toilet work?
Whether a composting toilet uses a stand-alone or central system, it still needs to create the right environment for aerobic bacteria to break down waste. This requires the right level of humidity, carbon and nitrogen balance and temperature. If these conditions are not met, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise when you empty or check your compost.
Too much moisture in a composting toilet can drown oxygen-breathing bacteria, so the trick is to keep the toilet moist but not wet. As such, many composting toilets have a separate urine container for liquid waste, which must be emptied when full. Other options in this regard, at least when it comes to stand-alone models, include a drain channel. Some models dispose of urine by evaporating it.
Proper disposal of urine also helps remove excess nitrogen that accumulates in the compost pile, but adding carbon-rich materials such as peat, wood chips or coconut fiber to the pile will ensure the right balance of nitrogen and carbon. Finally, aerobic bacteria thrive at temperatures between 15 and 38 degrees Celsius. Some manufacturers include thermostats, sensors, automatic stirrers or additional devices to maintain temperature, chemical balance or humidity control.
Why is a composting toilet better than a septic tank?
The septic tank used to be a solution for many rural communities, but unfortunately septic tank options come with many problems. They are expensive, subject to strict regulations, and difficult to maintain if something goes wrong, which can be truly disastrous. On the other hand, if something goes wrong with a composting toilet, there will simply be a smelly mess.
How much does a composting toilet cost?
The average price of a stand-alone composting toilet starts at around $800. More advanced central systems will cost up to several thousand dollars. The fact is that a composting toilet will cost exponentially more than a conventional model, in some areas anyway. Anyone who has ever had to call a plumber can tell you that this is a special expense.
