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Composting Toilets
One of my composting loos in Turkey.
I’ve had all sorts of reactions to my toilet. Some blink and turn away, others glance furtively at it the way you might glance at a road accident before you catch yourself. Children in particular show a disturbed fascination in what lies beyond 'the hole'. (If you want to know the answer to that question, scroll to the end of the page). My neighbour Dudu pretends my loo doesn’t exist and switches subjects whenever I mention the word 'compost'. But I’ve no idea why. It’s the cleanest, healthiest, most useful toilet I’ve ever had the fortune to crap in. The composting toilet, or as one friend put it, ‘the human litter-box.’
Hardened ecologists have seen it all before of course. But for those of us who haven’t (and I hadn’t until a couple of years back) it’s an excremental revolution. And it’s so simple to make. I can’t work out why no one else has one, or why I waited so long.
Hardened ecologists have seen it all before of course. But for those of us who haven’t (and I hadn’t until a couple of years back) it’s an excremental revolution. And it’s so simple to make. I can’t work out why no one else has one, or why I waited so long.
How to Build a Composting Toilet
All you do is build a large wooden box. If you feel a spurt of carpenter brilliance coming on you can add a door to scoop your compost out from. Put the box on a spot of dryish land. Then simply defecate to your heart’s content. You don’t need any water (in fact avoid using water, it will turn your compost fetid). What you do need is heaps and heaps of sawdust, coconut coir or some other fine organic matter that will create compost for you.
When the box is full (it took me 7 months to fill mine) you close it and let it percolate. It really depends on your climate as to how long you leave it. A hot dry Mediterranean summer takes care of it in about four months, but usually between six months and a year is recommended. In that time the pathogens in the poo are neutralised and a fantastic compost is created. Finally, once your manure has reached maturation, take a shovel and throw it on your courgette plants.
When the box is full (it took me 7 months to fill mine) you close it and let it percolate. It really depends on your climate as to how long you leave it. A hot dry Mediterranean summer takes care of it in about four months, but usually between six months and a year is recommended. In that time the pathogens in the poo are neutralised and a fantastic compost is created. Finally, once your manure has reached maturation, take a shovel and throw it on your courgette plants.
5 Principles for Composting Toilets
Woodshavings make ideal aggregate for composting toilets.
There are five composting principles you should take into consideration if you want your toilet to function safely and effectively;
1.Separate it. Make sure your toilet is isolated from your living quarters and kitchen, for obvious reasons.
2. Air it. Composting toilets need ventilation to dry out, so don’t cover it in plastic. Let it breathe.
3. Heat. Compost prefers a warm climate. The higher the temperature the faster your dump degrades.
4. Dryness. The toilet needs to stay as dry as possible. Urine is fine, but don’t throw extra water in it.
5. Composting material. You need something to mix into your crap to create compost; Sawdust, wood shavings, coconut coir etc. I used leaves at one point.
1.Separate it. Make sure your toilet is isolated from your living quarters and kitchen, for obvious reasons.
2. Air it. Composting toilets need ventilation to dry out, so don’t cover it in plastic. Let it breathe.
3. Heat. Compost prefers a warm climate. The higher the temperature the faster your dump degrades.
4. Dryness. The toilet needs to stay as dry as possible. Urine is fine, but don’t throw extra water in it.
5. Composting material. You need something to mix into your crap to create compost; Sawdust, wood shavings, coconut coir etc. I used leaves at one point.
Things you didn't know about composting toilets
1. They don't smell. In fact they are far less smelly than your average flush toilet, particularly when lots of people are using them.
2. They are clean. Instead of your waste rotting in a fetid septic tank, or having to be treated in large scale sewage works, your poo is effortlessly neutralised.
3. They can be pretty. I think mine's pretty at least.
4. They take a long time to fill up. The reason you need two toilets is not because they fill up, but to give the your waste time to break down.
5. You don't actually have to look at rotting poo all the time. Don't believe me? OK. Here's the moment you've been waiting for. What lies beyond the dreaded hole?
2. They are clean. Instead of your waste rotting in a fetid septic tank, or having to be treated in large scale sewage works, your poo is effortlessly neutralised.
3. They can be pretty. I think mine's pretty at least.
4. They take a long time to fill up. The reason you need two toilets is not because they fill up, but to give the your waste time to break down.
5. You don't actually have to look at rotting poo all the time. Don't believe me? OK. Here's the moment you've been waiting for. What lies beyond the dreaded hole?
Tidy huh? Not a turd in sight:)
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