Composting toilets

[ManFriday4]

Correction that 39:1 should say 30:1.

If you make a deposit it's a long term investment you might see it after a year if it isn't biodegradable.

We use the compost to plant trees, but there is so little after a year.

I did a calculation based on a survey of our campers of roughly how many poos/ day were they small medium or large: small being a few Quails eggs, large being the size of a loaf of bread. To calculate volume and then built the box bigger..

The toilet is twinned with one in a Pakistan Refugee camp!

Toilet twinning is a charity thing. We actual raised about £200 for the project. They sent us a photo of the latrine we are twinned with and it's grid reference.

Toilet Twinning - Flushing away poverty, one toilet at a time

Help bring clean water and safe sanitation to the world's poorest people by linking your loo with a latrine in Africa or Asia.

www.toilettwinning.org

We are going to twin our foot operated taps which were built for our 1st post lockdown camp to reduce cross contamination at taps.

This camp has very strict rules about use of taps & every single person is on board with it!

 

[ManFriday4]

I've always thought that the loos that come with the instructions to not wee when you poo must have been designed by a men-only team...

That's why we use sawdust in our system it allows for the possibility that you may need to wee while you poo, it's an involuntary thing. We also have toilets for women for pee only and urinals for men too.

We wanted a minimally maintainable waste disposal which was off the grid.

Most people experience the involuntary bladder release when they open their bowels. (That's a bit technical!)

 

[ManFriday4]

At the end of the 10 day camp the fire pits are cleared of ash & its sprinkled on top of the pile of waste. This acts like a "cordon-sanitare"- flies will not cross this barrier.

 

[Tengu]

No trouble in getting folk to use them?

 

[Broch]

No trouble in getting folk to use them?

None at all. I think fitting a standard loo seat helps but, if it's that or go behind a bush, I think most people don't give it a second thought.

I purposefully put ours in so the grand children didn't feel uncomfortable spending nights in the wood; they have no qualms at all - that and to make sure the odd group that comes in doesn't foul a wide area.

There is a weird feeling when one doesn't 'flush' afterwards - I'm considering putting in a button that creates a synthesised flushing noise when pressed!

 

[FerlasDave]

Some great advice coming through folks. Thank you, my notebook is filling up and questions for my course at cat are mounting!

I have access to a lot of wood shavings, as I’m generating about 50L a week at home in the workshop. But what about paper shreddings? We have plenty of that at work too.

 

[Broch]

Some great advice coming through folks. Thank you, my notebook is filling up and questions for my course at cat are mounting!

I have access to a lot of wood shavings, as I’m generating about 50L a week at home in the workshop. But what about paper shreddings? We have plenty of that at work too.

Mmm... is it bleach free? Same with the toilet paper; it's OK to put it down the loo (as opposed to burning it) but only if it's bleach free and biodegradable.

 

[FerlasDave]

Mmm... is it bleach free? Same with the toilet paper; it's OK to put it down the loo (as opposed to burning it) but only if it's bleach free and biodegradable.

I’m not sure. It’s all the post course documents and letters etc we don’t want/need. Is the bleach in the paper or the ink?

 

[Broch]

I’m not sure. It’s all the post course documents and letters etc we don’t want/need. Is the bleach in the paper or the ink?

The paper - most printed paper is bleached I'm afraid.

 

[ManFriday4]

No trouble in getting folk to use them?

None

 

[FerlasDave]

Back from the course and I learned heaps! It seems the methodology of urine separation is not such a big deal anymore it’s just up to individuals which system they choose. Wetter systems just need more soak and a longer composting time.

If I ever get the opportunity though I’m installing one of these at home.. it centrifugally separates using gravity and Isla totally self contained off grid system.

 

[FerlasDave]

Aquatron UK - the separator for WCs

For anyone who would like a bit more information.