Composting Toilets

Mike_N · January 17, 2011, 09:27:05 AM

Hello everyone! I'm happy to have found this forum. I live in Iowa but own property in SW Missouri and hope to begin building this spring. I'm not sure on septic yet as the property seems to be one big rock under a 12" of dirt. So I've been researching composting toilets but I'm not having much luck finding reviews other than those on the mfg.'s sites. I don't know whether to trust those or not. Is there anyone on the forum that has had experience with one of the toilets? Are they OK for full time use?
Thanks!

MountainDon · January 17, 2011, 10:34:54 AM

We have a Sun-Mar one piece. The important thing to know about them is that composting action stops at cold temperatures. Below 50-55 F the composting toilet becomes a storage chamber. As long as the temperature is up in the normal interior range composting can carry on. Sun-Mar has various models, most are supposed to be able to work full time for two people.

January 17, 2011, 11:18:14 AM

i lived in a house with one of these (sunmar) for years and they work fine - just different if you are used to conventional. doesn't help with the gray water issue though...

considerations · January 17, 2011, 12:56:56 PM

"So I've been researching composting toilets but I'm not having much luck finding reviews other than those on the mfg.'s sites. I don't know whether to trust those or not."

Keep looking, there are other reviews out there, like on RV living type forums, time share type camp grounds, etc.

Anyway, IMO is that with any review, testimonials on the mfgs' sites included, there is some "sifting through the words" that can be valuable.

If they've only just received the product, and the installation "was a snap" then they don't have anything to contribute about the functionality of the product.

If they are harping about "what went wrong", sometimes you can tease out that a shift from main-stream protocol to properly use the specific product was just too inconvenient for them and there wasn't really anything wrong with the product.

Then there are those that don't follow installation and usage instructions and then complain about the experience.

I think if they were complete debacles most of the time that the mfg's would be out of business after all these years.

That being said, I have a composting toilet on my "to do" list as well. Haven't settled on the final model, but Sunmar so far seems the most likely choice for me. And take this statement with a grain of salt because I don't have one and haven't used one yet!

Erin · January 17, 2011, 05:06:43 PM

I've read a lot of mixed reviews on most of the commercial composters. Not to mention the obvious fact that they are extremely expensive.
We decided to go simpler and cheaper .
We've been using a simple sawdust toilet for several months now.

January 17, 2011, 08:31:49 PM

Current status:

and hoping that a composting toilet will be an upgrade!

Mike_N · January 17, 2011, 09:26:59 PM

Thanks for the input. I'll do some more research but I'm leaning more toward composting toilets rather than septic, at least initially. The septic system installed at my son's home didn't seem to be anything special but followed some new state guidelines and was in the $12,000 range.

Pine Cone · January 18, 2011, 10:41:17 AM

I have been using a Sancor Envirolet made in Canada for over three years now. Works pretty well. No odor at all 99% of the time. Had a fly problem one time, put in some diatomacious earth as they suggested and the problem slowly went away.

Not everything composts at the same rate, so when I empty it is sort through and put the uncomposted bits back in the toilet.

We mostly use it on weekends with two of us. If we invite 10 people out the next weekend it might have some odor, but the vent stack is high enough that you never smell it in the outhouse. A week or two later an no odor again.

Last year the switch on the heater/fan assembly went out. We have the dual power version, 120V for a heater/dryer and a 12 volt DC fan. I contacted Sancor about getting a replacement, they looked my up in their database, told me I was still under warrantee and sent me the replacement unit for the cost of shipping. I was pleased with their service and am still pleased with their product.

Had one blowout when we had about a dozen folks out for the weekend. Turns out I didn't have the overflow drain tube quite flat and level enough where it went through the floor, had a backup of urine that leaked onto the floor. Not the end of the world, but not the fault of the toilet either.

Mostly we just use it and it works. Not much to think about or maintain. Way nicer than pit toilets or chemical porta-potties.

They seem to go on sale once a year or so, so we just waited until a sale and bought ours.

We like it... Well made and pretty easy to clean and maintain.

Squirl · January 18, 2011, 11:01:31 AM

Quote from: Mike_N on January 17, 2011, 09:26:59 PM
Thanks for the input. I'll do some more research but I'm leaning more toward composting toilets rather than septic, at least initially. The septic system installed at my son's home didn't seem to be anything special but followed some new state guidelines and was in the $12,000 range.

Do your homework on composting toilets the. They might not save you anything or end up costing you more. They are listed under the health code in my state, along with all other on site waste disposal laws. Some states don't approve them almost at all, others have a few hurdles to jump through. I got into a debate with someone about whether they were legal in the state of NY. He told an audience they weren't. He was semi-right because upon further fleshing out, he meant the sawdust humanure method. I was right, because I meant the commercial method. Also grey water disposal may need certain methods by state or locality. I still can't tell if according to the laws I need a septic tank for grey water. I do know I need to have a system that disposes of 75 gallons per day of grey water per bedroom. With an engineered plan, cost of a commercial toilet, and grey water system, a composting toilet system may cost more than a conventional system. It is worth it for me because I am far off grid. A conventional system requires more water, which requires more pumping, which requires a larger electric system, which requires more money over a lifetime. Though, this would probably hurt the value for resale.

January 18, 2011, 01:04:38 PM

"I still can't tell if according to the laws I need a septic tank for grey water."

Sometimes, if the rules don't mention grey water disposal, it is because they automatically lump grey and black water together as "effluent".

At some point, I would hope more states and local jurisdictions start making a distinction, as demand for fresh water increases and supply diminishes.

Squirl · January 18, 2011, 01:57:53 PM

Greywater has a definition under Appendix 75-A.10 - - Other systems.
http://w3.health.state.ny.us/dbspace/NYCRR10.nsf/11fb5c7998a73bcc852565a1004e9f87/8525652c00680c3e8525652c004a0a87?OpenDocument

(b) Non-Waterborne Systems. (1) General. In certain areas of the State where running water is not available or is too scarce to economically support flush toilets, or where there is a need or desire to conserve water, the installation of non-waterborne sewage systems may be considered however, the treatment of wastewater from sinks, showers, and other facilities must be provided when non-flush toilets are installed. Household wastewater without toilet wastes is known as greywater.

(5) Greywater Systems. Greywater systems shall be designed upon a flow of 75 gpd/bedroom and meet all the criteria previously discussed for treatment of household wastewater

I wish there was some type of public case law or diagram interpreting these regulations.