Hi everybody, I'm a graduate student from CA studying Environmental Policy. I was wondering if any of you have experience with and would be willing to give your input on compostable toilets in the off-grid setting. My research is looking at the reduction in environmental impact by using these toilets instead of say using a septic tank. This can be a quick interview by phone or skype, or I can send you a couple of questions by email. Any info that you can provide would be much appreciated. Thank you! Thomas Chamberlin
Tom, you are casting a pretty wide net. Take the time to poke thru the forum and see if you can find anyone using a composting twa-lay and contact them via PM. I ain't so sure you mean compostable toilet -- See what this dredges up on Google - search for "compostable toilet" (Tossing one on the compost heap won't likely do much.) My additional advice would be to get off the policy studies track, and into the hardware and science first. Understanding the science enables sound policy, not vice versa.
Probably a project best run past the site owner (melbo) or an admin. Folks take their OPSEC seriously here, and are generally leery of phishing.
I might mention that compostable toilets are pretty normal on some of the Hawaiian islands. You might focus some of your research time on looking at the policies around them.
Agreed, ghrit. Just pointing out that the prepper cohort is likely to be a little "different" from other composting toilet users. All part of the diverse user environment. Oh, and Tom, preppers / self sufficiency folk also tend to be leery of HOA's and overreaching local government.
There are areas in eastern Oregon that mandate waterless toilets. There are any number of composting toilets in service along the highway rest stops. At least there was 20 years ago. Tom, here's your chance for a field survey, all it costs is gas money (and time, of which you are going to have plenty if you insist on studying policy instead of hardware. Yes, I look down on knowledge-less thought.)
Years ago I was interested in them and found the best information available on then was from Norway, Finland, etc where either water pollution on small islands, rock or permafrost, high water table, or social factors made septic systems unusable. They had developed several different systems, saw dust, composting, incineration, or dehydration to make a small system that would handle human waste. None of them tried to handle grey water. Most of the highway etc systems are more akin to a portapottie and just use a chemical to keep the odor down and prevent flies until it can be processed off site.
@tcchamberlin10 Just a minor quibble, that may save you just a little grief, if not embarrasment with your academic supervisor.....you may wish to change the wording of your thread title from "compostable", to composting. Compostable toilet, infers that the toilet is the item that is being composted, rather than what it does with its contents.
I can readily see that the OP are a real college student. Best of luck TC/ When I attended college, I did my own homework.....
Yes, sure are, at least hundreds. But there are NONE on compostABLE toilets, as I hinted and Chelly made clear. I fear our boy, who has not returned since his first post, was looking for someone to send him a revealing private message. I have to echo Chelly's thinking, if our boy took a proposal worded that way to his faculty adviser, it's an odds on bet he'd get sent back to re-write the proposal. I have a small bit of pocket change that says he ain't comin' back.
Well, depending on the nature of the soil and climate, the crap would compost sooner or later. However, it would certainly not be a comestible toilet.
ALL of the Wildlife, around here, "Crap on the Ground" and I have yet to see any of them use a shovel....