A new or different take on composting toilets

Discussion in 'The Green Patch' started by DKR, Apr 4, 2020.


  1. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    History and Technology of Terra Preta Sanitation
    History and Technology of Terra Preta Sanitation

    [​IMG]
    A comprehensive look at a new way to use what is commonly called humanure.

    Make a pot of tea, this will take a while to wade thru, but covers all aspects of the subject.
     
  2. Dunerunner

    Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

    looks too complicated for me... But, an interesting twist.
     
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  3. You need to very careful about using composted waste sourced from humans. Both infection wise and especially the concentration of contaminants like heavy metals. Remember why the raptors were endangered. Apex of the food chain and all.
     
  4. duane

    duane Monkey+++

    Read a lot about the clivus multrum systems Saw a couple 20 years or so in New England. The commercial ones made of fiberglass seemed to work great, but were very expensive and some of the home built ones didn't get it quite right. The slope of the chamber, the smoothness of the floor and the ventilation and air flow seem to be a little more complex than some people could figure out. Also it would not work with only human manure as an input, seemed to need some coffee grounds and kitchen waste to supply more material for the compost. Real secret was separating urine from solids. Always seemed to be a little stupid to use 6 to 8 hundred pounds of water to transport 2 or 3 pounds of solids and then have to set up a multi million dollar system to remove the solids and decontaminate the water. Much of the world, high water tables, permafrost, shortage of water, population density and financial resources, does not do a good job of handling human waste using septic systems.
    Interesting point to me in the article is its application to a bucket or small toilet for sheltering in place, the addition of charcoal and or sawdust, seems to remove most of the odor problems and with the separation of the liquid component allow for an alternative to the Portapotti which does not work without massive inputs. Would be very interested in the real world results any of the Monkey's may of had. Don't really think frozen barrels of stuff left over from WW2 in the Alaska or burning in barrels with diesel fuel is a real long term survival solution.
     
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  5. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    Same here, I just use a shovel?
     
  6. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    The key, as I saw it, was adding char or 'biochar' and sugar to keep the lactic-acid-fermentation 'cooking'

    Terra Preta Sanitation (TPS) has been re-developed and adopted. TPS includes urine diversion, addition of a charcoal mixture and is based on lactic-acid-fermentation with subsequent vermicomposting. Lacto-fermentation is a biological anaerobic process that generates a pre-stabilization of the mixture. The main advantage of lacto-fermentation is that no gas and no odor is produced.

    This is a three step process, but a somewhat intensive alternative as noted with mass use of water and subsequent pollution. This was developed in India, and has had some success when people can be educated on the entity of the need for sanitation. OTOH, if you still have cows pooping in your hut, this is a no sale item...

    Methane digestors (bio-reactors) are widely used in rural India as a source of cooking gas.
    Sustainable biomass power for rural India: Case study of biomass gasifier for village electrification on JSTOR
    Field experience with leaf litter-based biogas plants - ScienceDirect
    Threefold impact in rural India
     
  7. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    I pee at the base of my apple and peach trees, they seem to like it.
    Stanky piss seems to keep the damn moles away too.
     
  8. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    Yep on both counts but especially the Heavy Metals, the modern human diet loads the poo up with them. Infectious stuff can be overcome by Hot Pile Composting in most cases but we carry some nasty critters that can survive temps well above what hot pile can reach. Haman and Hog Waste IMO is best reserved for the ornamental plants.
     
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  9. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    It does make good fertilizer - treatment can reduce odor
    https://www.eawag.ch/fileadmin/Domain1/Abteilungen/eng/projekte/vuna/doc/Eawag_News_0115_e.pdf

    https://insteading.com/blog/human-urine-fertilizer/
    dilution is recommended.

    One litre of urine contains 11 gms of nitrogen, 1 gm of phosphorus and 2 gms of potassium.**

    A family of four creates enough urine to fertilize a third of an acre, year round.** After you collect your urine store it in an air tight container otherwise it will smell, lose its nitrogen, and become ammonia.

    It can work - well
    Rural urine diversion dehydration toilets (after 6 years) Hanahai and Paje villages, Botswana - Case studies
     
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  10. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    Last edited: Apr 5, 2020
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  11. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    I was going to pump my septic tank put into my field for fertilizer.
     
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  12. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Last edited: Apr 6, 2020
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  13. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Aside the risks that chelly mentions, you'll be hearing from the EPA and local code folks. (Just make sure it's downwind from your house ---)
     
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  14. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    I wasn't going to grow food with it, just fertilize my wood lot.
     
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  15. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    No matter, the EPA looks at run off. (Code probably would find something else to complain about.)
     
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  16. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    With the use of boichar, there is no odor issue.

    Tucson (AZ), for example, has a long history of using sun - dried sewage 'granules' as fertilizer in the city parks, has for decades. The claim is that the UV does a good enough job that when dry, the stuff is safe to spread out. I'm not aware of any problems from this use.
     
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  17. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    It's obviously illegal.
    Have you seen how much they charge to pump one out, that's the true crime.
     
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  18. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    The question remains,The robber that pumps it out,What is his way of disposal?
     
  19. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    I believe such individuals are referred to as turd burglars....it's a $hitty but well paid job, so I understand. ;)
     
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  20. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    The correct, legal way is take the load to the "local" sewage treatment plant and offload into the septage receiving tank/station. That requires a fee to the treatment plant, so that, plus the tanker fuel, plus manpower tells a lot of the tale regarding getting your septic tank pumped. Well worth it, says me, and given that most folks pump out WAY more often than really needed ----
     
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