Topic: The Best co*posting Toilets of 2023 (Read 78 times)
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This is as close as you are going to get to a normal flush toilet, although it uses no water. With a larger capacity and the ability to mix solids and liquids with a heating element, it is ideal for home use and multiple people as it does not need to be emptied often. The SunMar Excel co*posting Toilet has no separator, so you use it just like a traditional toilet and mix the solids and liquids. All you need to do is use the rotating arm that extends from the base to turn the drum about every other day. It is stationary, so all you need to do is empty the co*post drawer below the seat anywhere from once to every other month per year depending on use.
This toilet uses power for a fan and heater. The heater—along with added co*posting medium, like peat moss or coconut core—adds in faster deco*position than a model with only a fan or no fan at all. It does have an emergency drain in the rear in case excess liquids need to be emptied.
The ding is obviously the high price, but I spoke with Nate who has been using SunMar toilets for five years on his yurt property in Hawaii and claims the cost is worth every penny.
This is a lightweight and sleek design that is easy to empty, clean, and move. The Trelino Evo co*posting Toilet is perfect for home, a van, boat, or even at camp. It is intuitive to set up and very light and easy to move as a whole unit. My wife and I personally own one for our dry cabin, and it is small enough to fit, easy to clean and empty, and aesthetically looks very nice. It really doesn’t look like a toilet but rather a white box.
There is a separate canister for liquids and solids, and the liquid canister is leak proof. The solid canister is like a small garbage bin and you put your co*posting bag in there. We empty the liquids every five days and the solids about once a week.
You do add a layer of co*posting medium, however it doesn’t break down the solids. As long as you use co*postable toilet paper or place it in another container, you can add the bag of solids to your co*post. The solid bin co*es with a lid if you need to secure it while traveling, but it is not necessary as the lid of the toilet stays on very tightly.
The do-it-yourself method offers easy-to-follow instructions to build your own co*posting toilet with minimal costs. This paperback book ($25) or online instructions (free) teach you how to build and maintain a co*posting toilet. The cost is however much you put into the materials. For example, you can use supplies that you already have on hand for a simple box toilet you can use indoors. Or you can go as far as creating an outhouse with a roof and walls surrounding the actual toilet.
The toilet collects liquids and solids together, but if you want that to co*post, you need to do some more work beyond building the toilet. It wouldn’t not need any electricity or mixing/stirring to co*post, but you would need to add an organic co*posting medium, like sawdust, straw, or peat moss, after each use to enhance breakdown. The word “humanure” is “human manure,” meaning the fecal matter and urine can be recycled into soil. The capacity could be whatever you build, but you would need to empty and mix the toilet material into another co*post bin when it’s full in order to continue the breakdown. Proper co*posting needs a few other environmental factors, like warmth, so this is why a DIY co*posting toilet wouldn’t work in a place like where I live in Alaska.
Make sure the toilet is co*fortable with an appropriate height for you. The last thing you want is to be feeling unco*fortable while sitting on the throne.
All the toilets require some sort of emptying or cleaning, so you have to decide what you are willing to put into that process. Where are you emptying it? Can you reach all the parts to clean it without taking it apart? Are there many co*ponents to clean? Do the parts separate easily if need be? Will it spil* or splash on you while cleaning? Does it have seal-proof caps to keep the liquids in while transporting?
Whether it is one of the more expensive versions or a do-it-yourself wooden one, there are many questions to consider. Is it durable? Do you need tools to install? Will it get damaged if it lets in the elements (sun, cold, rain) or if you move it? The toilet seat and lid need to be sturdy for daily use but also easily removed for cleaning.
If you need to transport it, you’ll want to make sure it is easy to move and disassemble. If you need to move it, can you do it alone or do you need help? Does it have handles to transport it?
Some toilets require more work than others for the co*posting to take place. Do you need to rotate the co*posting material and your solids? Is it easy to access the rotating handle? Does this handle interfere with you when you are sitting down? Is it easy to rotate on your own?
The last thing you want is a stinky toilet, and most co*posting toilets attempt to keep the smell inside. One feature that helps with that are secure seals to keep the smells in.
Toilet paper is technically paper, which is from a tree, so in theory, yes you can put toilet paper in your co*posting toilet. It is best to use recycled, RV-specific or one-ply toilet paper. It does take longer to break down than your solids. You want to make sure you always put it in the solid co*partment. If you can separate it and throw it away, you will have more room in the solids bin for human waste.
Some toilets, like the SunMar Excel co*posting Toilet, have a drawer that you can pull out and empty the co*post. Others, like the Nature’s Head co*posting Toilet, you’ll need to remove the toilet to empty. Some, such as the Trelino Evo co*posting Toilet, utilize a bucket in the base that you can remove and empty. Just make sure you do your research before buying your toilet.
The co*post process all depends on how often you use the toilet, how many people are using the same toilet, and what kind of heat or fan source you have. It also depends on what kind of co*posting material you add to your solids. The co*posting starts to work immediately after you do your business, but time, temperature, and conditions will determine when you are ready to use your co*post.
Not everyone has the luxury of plumbing, running water, or flush toilets. The best co*posting toilets can be an ideal and eco-friendly solution. Instead of having to find a place for waste, co*posting allows you to safely return it to the environment.
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