The earliest composting toilet was Henry Moule's earth closet, which he patented in 1873. Henry Moule (1801–1880 was a priest in the Church of England and inventor of the dry earth closet This example is from around 1875

A composting toilet is any system that converts human waste into an organic compost and usable soil, through the natural breakdown of organic matter into its essential minerals. Human Waste is Suffocation's debut EP released by Relapse Records. Compost (ˈkɒmpɒst or US /ˈkɒmpoʊst/ also known as brown manure is the aerobically decomposed remnants of Organic matter. Aerobic microbes do this in the presence of moisture and air, by oxidizing the carbon in the organic material to carbon dioxide gas, and converting hydrogen atoms to water vapour.

Types

BioLet self contained composting toilet system

Remote composting system

"Self-contained" composting toilets complete the composting "in-situ,", while "central unit" ones flush waste to a remote composting unit below the toilet. Composting is the Aerobic decomposition of Biodegradable Organic matter, producing Compost. Vacuum-flush systems can flush horizontally or upward.

Composting toilets can be installed anywhere, such as a cabin, cottage, bunkie, yurt, RV, pool cabana, boat, shed, barn, or home.

Some composting toilets use electricity, and some electrical systems use fans to exhaust air and increase microbial activity. Compost (ˈkɒmpɒst or US /ˈkɒmpoʊst/ also known as brown manure is the aerobically decomposed remnants of Organic matter. Others require the user to rotate a drum within the composting toilet to allow for an aerobic breakdown of waste.

A clivus Multrum composting toilet

Some composting toilets have a large compartment below the toilet. Others are little larger than a traditional toilet.

Accumulated solids after 30yrs in Clivus Multrum

All composting toilets eventually need some end-product removal. A full-size composting toilet does not need to have solids removed for several decades if the active tank volume is at least three times the yearly addition. This is because the waste dramatically decreases in volume: after around 5 years only 1-2% of the original volume remains. It is then a mineralized soil, which will not decompose any further. Other smaller systems may need to remove solids a few times a year.

Commercial systems

Public composting toilet facility on E6 highway in Sweden

In recent years, several commercial compost-toilet systems have begun to compete with and replace conventional water closets in high-use public facilities. A flush toilet or Water Closet (WC is a Toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location There they have found a market because of their resilience and the environmental advantages of not discharging pollutants into the environment. One of these is the three-storey C. K. Choi Building, which contains 5 compost toilets (10 seats) for 300 full-time employees. The IslandWood School on Bainbridge Island, WA (USA), relies entirely on compost toilets. Bainbridge Island is an Island in Puget Sound, and is an incorporated city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. Facilities Manager Dean Newcomb says, “All of the comments about the compost-toilet systems have been favorable. We keep the bathrooms immaculate, and the fan in the vent system generally works well, so it really gets rid of the misconception that these are smelly systems. ”

Composting toilets reduce the volume of humanure and other organic materials on site over months or years through predominantly mesophilic composting and yield a fertilizer that is, after the legally required period, able to be used in horticultural or agricultural applications. "Humanure" is a Neologism designating human excrement (feces and urine that is recycled via Composting for agricultural or other Composting toilets are also becoming more common as an accepted alternative in homes, where the odor-free operation of a properly functioning unit appeals more to some houseowners than conventional toilets, with their consumption of large quantities of clean water and discharge of large amounts of sewage. Sewage is the mainly liquid Waste containing some solids produced by humans which typically consists of washing water Feces, Urine, laundry waste and other

Public composting toilet facility on E6 highway in Sweden

Composting toilets have entered the mainstream plumbing realm by being tested and, if approved, certified to the ANSI/NSF-41 Standard. Plumbing, from the Latin plumbum for Lead, is the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and Plumbing fixtures for They can be tested and certified for ANSI/NSF-41 by any ANSI accredited testing laboratories such as Canadian Standards Association, CSA International, National Sanitation Foundation and Underwriters Laboratories. Established in 1919 the Canadian Standards Association (CSA is a not-for-profit association composed of representatives from government industry and CSA International (Canadian Standards Association a member of the CSA Group, is a provider of product testing and Certification services for electrical mechanical NSF International, formerly National Sanitation Foundation, is a not-for-profit non-governmental organization that develops standards and provides product certification and Underwriters Laboratories Inc (UL is a US non-profit privately owned and operated Product safety testing and certification organization

Waterless, odorless composting toilets ensure that houses can remain occupied in drought areas where water is shut off for periods of time. An example is southern Spain, where at least one composting toilet per house could provide acceptable sanitation for as long as the drought prevails and water is unavailable. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Likewise it provides always-usable public toilet facilities under such circumstances. This is becoming a very important application for the technology in areas all over the world where there is only periodic availability of water.

Self made systems

Far simpler DIY systems can be constructed and maintained cheaply. Lately, through the internet, good practical information and plans have become available. Especially Practical Action ^[1] and EcoSanRes are now providing good approaches to recycling human waste to regain the nutrients and provide good DIY-toilet schematics. Practical Action is a development charity registered in the United Kingdom which works directly in four regions of the developing world – Latin America Other plans and schematics can be obtained from Composting Toilet World ^[2] , VillageEarth ^[3] Weblife ^[4], and to some extent National Parks Board ^[5] Vela creations ^[6], Freecycle.org ^[7], and Jouneytoforever ^[8]. The National Parks Board ( Abbreviation: NParks) is a statutory board of the Singapore Government. The Freecycle Network (often abbreviated TFN or just known as Freecycle) is a Non-profit organization registered in the state of Arizona USA and separately Odors are controlled by ensuring adequate ventilation, sometimes simply by leaving a small gap between the top of the wall and the roof, or using a low-voltage extractor fan. Electrical tension (or voltage after its SI unit, the Volt) is the difference of electrical potential between two points of an electrical Odor can also be controlled by separating urine and feces, or by adding sufficient high-carbon content 'soak' material (see below) to absorb excess liquid. Urine is a liquid waste product of the body secreted by the Kidneys by a process of filtration from Blood and Excreted through the Urethra. Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the Anus Carbon (kɑɹbən is a Chemical element with the symbol C and its Atomic number is 6 The material should remain aerated to prevent the compost from becoming anaerobic, which causes unpleasant odor. It must also either heat the feces to the point that pathogens are destroyed (a thermophilic process), or allow time (up to a year) for such pathogens to break down and disappear naturally (a mesophilic process). A pathogen (from Greek πάθος pathos "suffering passion" and γἰγνομαι (γεν- gignomai (gen- "I give birth to" infectious A thermophile is an organism &mdash a type of Extremophile &mdash which thrives at relatively high temperatures between 45 and 80 °C (113 and 176 °F A mesophile is an Organism that grows best in moderate Temperature, neither too hot nor too cold typically between 15 and 40 °C (77 and 104 °F The advantages are that they use little water and may produce fertilizer safe for small scale agricultural use. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture

Another variant is the tree bog—a type of compost toilet that never needs emptying. A Treebog is a form of Compost toilet which has Willows Nettles and other nutrient-hungry plants planted around it Nutrient-hungry trees, such as fast growing willows, are planted around the tree bog, and they take up the nutrients and convert them to biomass, which may then be harvested. Willows, sallows and osiers form the Genus Salix, around 400 species of Deciduous Trees and Shrubs found primarily Biomass refers to living and recently dead Biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production

A compost toilet facility viewed from outside. This structure was built entirely from recycled materials[1]

A DIY compost toilet at Dial House, Essex, England, created at very low cost utilising an old desk as the toilet unit [2]

Composting process and products

The process of converting human excrement into safe and usable compost material can take 3 months to a few years depending on climate, temperature, and the composting system. Recycling involves processing used materials into new products in order to prevent the waste of potentially useful materials reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials reduce Dial House is a sixteenth-century farm cottage in the countryside surrounding Epping Forest in south west Essex England. Essex is a county in the East of England. The County town is Chelmsford, and the highest point of the county is Chrishall Common England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of In 4 to 6 years there will be highly mineralized soil. Some composting-toilet models concomitantly turn urine into an odor-free, pathogen-free organic liquid fertilizer. Some countries, for example Sweden, allow this liquid to be used in agriculture after it is stored for 6 months. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. In full-size composting toilets, urine goes through a process called nitrification, resulting in an odor-free and practically bacteria-free liquid fertilizer.

Typically, the waste breaks down to 10% of its original volume. Most toilet-composting systems are mouldering, or low-temperature, toilets, where the waste is left for long enough that pathogens break down naturally, but there are also hot, or thermophilic, toilets, which heat the waste material high enough that pathogens are destroyed. A thermophile is an organism &mdash a type of Extremophile &mdash which thrives at relatively high temperatures between 45 and 80 °C (113 and 176 °F

Some composting toilets separate the urine and the feces. Others mix the two, with the process requiring either evaporation of the liquid or the addition of substances such as sawdust, leaf mould, straw, or grass clippings to soak up the liquid.

Urine, rather than feces, contains the major bulk of plant nutrients worth recovering for reuse, including 90% of the nitrogen and 70% of the phosphorus. One advantage of modern composting toilets over conventional outhouses is that the latter leaches most nutrients into the groundwater, instead of saving them to be reused in agriculture or spread on the land. Groundwater is Water located beneath the Ground surface in Soil pore spaces and in the Fractures of lithologic formations

Possible health risks and aesthetic issues

It can be hazardous to come into contact with improperly or incompletely composted human feces, because it may contain bacteria and other pathogens associated with human disease. For this reason, human waste should not be used as fertilizer without ensuring that it is composted thoroughly. When composting, the pile may achieve temperatures of 40°-50° Celsius. The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales recommends that in a cool temperate climate such as that experienced in the United Kingdom, where true thermophilic decomposition cannot be guaranteed, humanure should be allowed to break down for at least one year. The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT (Canolfan Dechnoleg Amgen is an eco -centre in Powys, mid- Wales, dedicated to demonstrating and teaching The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located It also advises that humanure should not be used as a fertiliser on crops that are directly handled and eaten, such as vegetables or salad leaves, but instead applied as a mulch around bush or tree fruits. The term " vegetable " generally means the edible parts of Plants The definition of the word is traditional rather than Scientific, however Salad is a mixture of cold foods usually including vegetables and/or fruits often with a dressing occasionally nuts or Croutons, and sometimes with the addition of In Agriculture and Gardening, '''mulch''' is a protective cover placed over the Soil, primarily to modify the effects of the local Climate. A fruit tree is a Tree bearing Fruit &mdash the structures formed by the ripened ovary of a Flower containing one or more Seeds. The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. Joseph Jenkins, author and proponent of humanure composting, recommends using composted humanure on any and all agricultural products.

In some situations, the finished compost must be Pasteurized prior to disposal. Pasteurization is the process of heating Liquids for the purpose of destroying bacteria, Protozoa, Molds and Yeasts The process was Governments provide operational definitions of pasteurization, which requires heating to a certain temperature for a certain time. Pasteurization is the process of heating Liquids for the purpose of destroying bacteria, Protozoa, Molds and Yeasts The process was In other situations, the finished compost must be sterilized, which requires more aggressive treatment and higher temperatures.

Rate of decomposition in a large composting toilet facility

Many in the developed world find the idea of a composting toilet to be unappealing, perhaps due to the health and hygiene issues raised above. The term developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries with developed Economies in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors However, as long as basic safety rules and common sense are used, the real risks associated with a composting toilet system should be no more significant than any other situation where there may be some level of fecal contamination (such as using a water-based toilet, changing baby diapers, taking a bath). Educating people about the safe use of composting toilets will be an important factor in their gaining acceptance in the developed world. Water-based toilets were originally viewed with similar suspicions when they replaced the chamber pot. A chamber pot (also a john a chamberpot, a thunder pot, a jordan, a po (from French "pot de chambre") or simply a

Some health departments do not approve composting toilets as an alternative to septic fields. A health department is a part of Government which focuses on issues related to the general Health of the Citizenry. Septic drain fields are used to remove contaminants and impurities from the liquid that emerges from the Septic tank. A septic field may still be required for treatment of grey water even if a composting toilet is approved. Greywater, also known as sullage, is non-industrial wastewater generated from domestic processes such as dish washing But reputable manufacturers of composting toilets usually help their customers deal with regulatory concerns.

Properly designed and sized in relation to use, composting toilets neither need power for processing nor use water, and will eventually reduce the solids to a final 1-2% of the added organic materials (feces and toilet paper). True composting is a slow process and takes around 4-6 years and a variety of processes involving bacteria, fungi, worms and other micro- and macro-organisms. A fungus (ˈfʌŋgəs is a eukaryotic Organism that is a member of the kingdom Fungi (ˈfʌndʒaɪ A worm is a common name given to a diverse group of invertebrate animals that have a long soft body and no legs A microorganism (also spelled micro organism or micro-organism and also called a microbe) is an Organism that is Microscopic (usually

Ecologically, in the case of some of the more complex smaller systems, it may be that the use of electricity should be weighed against the use of water. In arid areas water may be more valuable than electricity, while in wet areas the opposite may be the case.

See also

• Vermicomposting
• Chemical toilet
• Clivus multrum
• Ecological sanitation
• Humanure
• Incinerating toilet
• Latrine
• Outhouse
• Toilet
• Urinal

Manufacturers

List of manufacturers:

• Advanced Composting Systems LLC
• Biolet
• Biolytix
• Biosun
• Clivus Multrum
• Enviro Loo
• Envirolet
• Envirolet (Canada)
• MullToa Waterless Composting Toilets (Canada)
• Nature-loo
• Nature's Head
• Separett
• Separett (Canada)
• Sunfrost
• Sun-mar

References

External links

• Composting Toilet World
• Alternative Sanitation
• Reuse of faeces and urine
• Flushed with success: new waste-reducing design in modern toiletry by Jim Motavalli. E: The Environmental Magazine, March-April, 1998
• Humanure information by Journeytoforever
• The Humanure Handbook - online free edition
• Standard plumbing conversion alternative technologies chapter from "An Alaskan Challenge: Native Village Sanitation"
• The Composting Toilet System Book
• 'The Humanure Handbook' (Webbook)