To retain moisture in your compost pile try some of the following: Do not divert urine. Line the edges of the compost bin with cardboard or flexible plastic to avoid evaporation. Cover the top of the pile with plastic. Add rainwater or greywater to the pile as needed. View some of David Omick’s moisture retaining […]
Composting toilets can be used in all climates. The composting process will stop during very cold weather. If possible, keep the composting chamber a heated part of the home and/or insulate it. Outdoor composting also works. A hot compost bin can be used even in the coldest climates. A cold climate composter writes on Joe […]
The best type of toilet depends upon the situation. Questions like: Who will be using the toilet? Who will maintain it? What type of toilet do people want to have? will determine the best design. Anytime you want to recommend a type of toilet make sure you have personal experience with it. What level of […]
Marine netting made from nylon is long lasting and works well in a net-barrel composting system. Landscape netting, made from jute, is lower cost and easy to find, but will also compost over time and need replacing every few years.
Any fine, organic material will work, for example leaf duff, coffee grounds (ask at coffee shops, consider slightly drying out the grounds before using them), or rice hulls. Experiment and find what works for you.
The ideal type of sawdust is from a sawmill. Unfortunately, this type of sawdust is not available to many urban residents. Wood working shops that cut raw, kiln-dried wood (no pressure treated wood, no plywood, no painted wood) create sawdust and will usually give it away. Call around and ask. Be ready to drop off […]
Urine should be used like a nitrogen based fertilizer, apply it to the roots of nitrogen demanding crops or plants. You can either dilute it one part urine to 3-5 parts water, or just water the plant with fresh water after you have applied the urine. Remember to alternate between plants and not overfertilizer with […]
It takes around two weeks for fly eggs to hatch into flies. Sawdust bucket type toilets that are emptied more frequently than every two weeks won’t have flies to worry about. Larger containers that fill for longer than two weeks will probably have an occasional fly outbreak. First, try to prevent flies from getting in. […]
Pharmaceuticals are being found at an increasing rate in fresh water, including the drinking water of many major cities. The following is an excerpt from the report: Urine Diversion: One Step Towards Sustainable Sanitation by EcoSanRes. There are research projects going on to investigate the environmental effect of pharmaceuticals in urine. By far the majority […]
Urine can be diverted and collected separately from feces. It is easy to collect urine without having a composting toilet for feces. Sometimes it’s also beneficial to include a urine diverter with a full composting toilet. Pros of urine diversion Reduces the volume of feces to be composted. Reduces the amount of sawdust needed. Enables […]