All You Need To Know
About Composting Toilets
Composting toilets are a great way to go green in your home. They require no water or electricity, and they can be used by people of any age!
Read on to learn everything you need to know about composting toilets - such as the processes involved in how they work, and an everyday guide to how to use one. We've also created an extensive list of the most popular brands and types of compost toilet systems on the market today, so you can learn what is the best composting toilet.
How does a composting toilet work?
This process decomposes organic elements, transforming human waste into compost. Microorganisms undertake composting under controlled aerobic circumstances (primarily bacteria and fungus). Because the majority of these toilets do not use water to clean or flush, they are referred to as "dry toilets" or "waterless toilets."
After each use, a carbon addition such as sawdust, peat moss or coconut coir is supplied to assist decompose the solid waste in various types of composting toilets. This method creates air gaps for the aerobic decomposition of human excrement.
This also raises the amounts of carbon and nitrogen, which reduces possible odors.
And you still have unanswered questions, be sure to read our full article on how composting toilets work.
How Does A Composting Toilet Work?
Come and take a deep dive into the nitty gritty processes of how a composting toilet actually works. This simple, sustainable technology has been used for thousands of years and is now making a much-needed comeback!
How To Flush A Toilet Without Water
/Are you living off-grid and need a flushless toilet solution? Read on to learn how you can do it.
How Should I Compost Human Waste?
/OK, I've got a shiny new composting toilet. Now, what should I do with all this lovely human waste!?
Those Facts About Compost That You've Been Dying to Ask
/Oh yes. We know what keeps you awake at night. Never fear, this post will answer those burning questions about compost.
How Much Does A Composting Toilet Cost?
/We explore all the different options, from DIY to the more expensive models on the market to give you a clear idea of the costs involved.
Oh No! There's Mold In My Composting Toilet!
/Oh shit! There's mold in my composting toilet. Why is that happening and what can I do about it?
How To Use A Composting Toilet
/What's it actually like living with and using a composting toilet on a day-to-day basis? We answer all those burning questions you have, and then some!
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Composting?
/Surely it can't all be good news can it? There must be some cons to composting? Right??
Is This The Ultimate Small Footprint Toilet?
/With a growing global interest in climate change and sustainability, families nationwide are looking for actionable things that they can do in their own households to make a difference.
Price
This article on the whether composting toilets provide the savings you seek, can aid you in answering that question.
Recommended Composting Toilets
Image | Product | Our Score | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|
Most Reliable | Sun Mar GTG Portable Toilet Sun Mar has a patent for the most efficient composting method, all while having a long-standing history of creating and producing composting toilets. | 9.2 | Check Latest PriceRead Full Review |
Best Value | Separett Villa 9215 AC/DC Separett has been developing waterless toilet solutions for over 40 years with the goal of improving quality of life and making everyday living easier and more pleasant for everyone. | 9.5 | Check Latest PriceRead Full Review |
Best Overall | Nature's Head Composting Toilet The Nature’s Head composting toilet is one of the most popular models out on the market right now. Tiny house owners absolutely love them, and for good reason too. | 9.1 | Check Latest PriceRead Full Review |
Best Value | Air Head Composting Toilet A convenient installation for mobile lifestyles. It eliminates the need for water flushing, is easy to use, has a female-friendly design, and is water efficient, | 8.8 | Check Latest PriceRead Full Review |
Self contained composting toilet or central composting toilet system
Because self-contained composting toilet systems are all-in-one, they are excellent for conventional houses constructed on concrete slabs, homes with no underfloor space, and boats. This makes the central composting systems ideal for homes with a space beneath them.
Commercial ventilation systems carry air from the bathroom, via the waste container, and out a vertical pipe that vent hose or vent stack, above the roof. Carbon dioxide and odors are carried by this air movement, typically through an exhaust fan.
But how does an incinerating toilet work?
The incineration process happens through the use of a burning chamber that's lined with insulation made from materials like wool, felt, or stone.
DIY For Off-Grid bathrooms
An off grid composting toilet is a self-contained, waterless and odorless toilet system. It's designed to be installed in areas where there is no access to running water or sewage systems, like when you live off grid with limited freshwater supply or sanitation infrastructure.
The design of an off grid composting toilet includes three main parts: the holding tank, the composter and the ventilation fan - these are all combined within one portable package that can easily be set up by just about anyone!
There are many simple and effective ways to build your own self contained composting toilet, as a cost effective alternative to buying composting toilet products from a company such as Sun mar or Nature's head where the prices can go up to the thousands.
Most of the DIY methods only require a toilet seat, a bucket and some bedding material such as peat moss.
With finances and budget often getting in the way of being as environmentally friendly as you would like, DIY options are one way of being cost effective.
Composting Toilets in Action
This is why it's important to look through comparisons of the different models and option you have for your toilet.
Composting toilets are environmentally friendly toilets that may be found and installed in a cabin, RV, off grid, marine, tiny house, and even for your own home and bathroom.
Composting toilets, unlike traditional septic systems, do not utilize water and do not require connection to a septic or sewer system.
They function by turning trash into useable organic compost, which is an important resource for landscaping.
The waterless function and lack of need for traditional septic systems and plumbing, makes the composting toilet systems ideal for off grid use, cabin use and simply for your home when you want to live a greener lifestyle.
The waterless function and lack of need for traditional septic systems and plumbing, makes the composting toilet systems ideal for off grid use, cabin use and simply for your home when you want to live a greener lifestyle.
YOUR GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING THE VARIOUS TYPES OF COMPOSTING TOILETS
In this article, we will discuss all the different types of composting toilets and what living environment or type of person they're best for.
SELF-CONTAINED COMPOSTING TOILETS: A NEW NECESSITY?
/You may not know that composting toilets are classified into two types: self-contained and central composting toilets.
THE A - Z GUIDE OF THE WATERLESS COMPOSTING TOILET
/In recent years, the costs of purchasing, installing and maintaining a residential solar panel system have plummeted
ARE ELECTRIC COMPOSTING TOILETS RIGHT FOR YOU?
/Electric toilets are a great option if you have limited space or don't use much water, but they do come with their own set of pros and cons.
SOLAR POWERED COMPOSTING TOILETS: FOR A GREENER TOMORROW
/Although it is quite a new idea and system, solar powered toilets are eco-friendly because they use sunlight for energy instead of electricity or gas, and they also look pretty cool too.
COMPOSTING TOILET VS INCINERATING TOILET
/In this article, we discuss composting toilet vs incinerating toilet and the benefits and drawbacks of both
PORTABLE COMPOSTABLE TOILETS- FOR CAMPING ENTHUSIASTS
/Portable composting toilets are the perfect solution for outdoor enthusiasts. They're light, easy to transport, and environmentally friendly.
Episode One - Introduction To Nick & Fiona
We are Fiona and Nick, and since the Autumn of 2017 we have lived on a 63ft narrowboat called Meand’er on the inland waterways (canals) of the UK.
In this blog series, we will share our journey as we go from using standard cassette toilets to an easier and more sustainable way of managing our waste.
Nick works from the boat (luckily IT can be done anywhere!) and I retired early to help look after my grandchildren.
Episode Three - Should We Buy Or DIY?
/Now I am very fortunate to have a husband who is great at DIY! He is currently rebuilding the kitchen in our RV, but he didn’t seem quite so keen when I suggested we could build our own composting toilet.
Episode Seven - Installing On The RV
/Having already installed one composting toilet on our boat, doing the same in our RV should be easy... right!?
Episode Four - The Final Choice
/After a year of research (a tad excessive maybe?!), we arrived at a final decision as to which composting toilet to buy!
Episode Eight - Living With Our Composting Toilet (Liquids)
/Six weeks in and we've got into the swing of using our composting toilet. Read all about our experience with 'liquids'!
Episode Five - Getting Ready To Install
/As we're installing composting toilets in both our RV and narrow boat, there was quite a bit of prep work to do to ensure the installation process went smoothly.
Episode Nine - Living With Our Composting Toilet (Solids)
/Our first six weeks with our composting toilet have been eventful! Find out what insights we have to share on solids.
Episode Two - The Research Begins
/As we began our research it became obvious there wasn’t just one composting toilet, in fact there were many! We needed to determine what the differences were and how they would affect our toilet choice.
Episode Six - Installation Day
/The big day was finally here! Join us as we go through the installation process step by step, complete with domestics!
Conclusion
This makes it all the more important to use the composting toilet system as an alternative to regular, conventional toilets.
The composting process and composting toilet designs are acknowledged by the World Health Organization as a sanitary alternative to conventional toilet.
The above articles and FAQ's can help you to understand the purpose of a composting toilet and the composting process as a whole.