Composting Toilets
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Simple Concept
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Good Economics
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Many New designs
Compost at the Beginning
Image courtesy of the Black Thumb Gardener
Compost at the End
Image courtesy of The Brown Daily Herald
Composting Toilets
• Simple, low-cost,
on-site sanitation
• Human waste is
composted to
remove
pathogens
• End product:
“humanure”- a
nutrient rich soil
amendment
Image courtesy of Peter Morgan
Decomposition: How Does it Work?
• Composting chamber: Feces + Dry materials
(such as sawdust, straw, or ash)
• When full, chamber is sealed or moved to
composting site for one-year to become
humanure
Images courtesy of http://www.greenprophet.com and Sustainable sanitation
Dehydration: Vietnam Double Vault
Image courtesy of U. Winblad & M. Simpson-Hébert
Why Divert Urine?
Image courtesy of SSWM
Soil Composting: Arborloo
• Simplest composting toilet
• Single pit system, site is temporary
• Once full, toilet structure is moved and site is left
to compost
• Often a tree is planted in hole
Image courtesy of Peter Morgan
Soil Composting: Skyloo
• Urine is diverted to a separate container to
be used directly as fertilizer
• Once feces bucket is full, it is composted
Image courtesy of Peter Morgan
Images courtesy of Peter Morgan
Compost Filters
• Pre-treatment
method (replaces
septic tank)
• Solids decompose in
filter for one year to
become compost
• Liquids are drained
to a constructed
wetland
Images courtesy of SSWM
Pathogen Removal
Image courtesy of Cartier International/Fresh Life.
Economics of Humanure
Image courtesy of Linus Dagerskog, CREPA
Economics of Humanure: Urine
Image courtesy of U. Winblad & M. Simpson-Hébert
Economics of Humanure
Image courtesy of U. Winblad & M. Simpson-Hébert
Economics of Humanure
Image courtesy of U. Winblad & M. Simpson-Hébert
Image courtesy of Anna Richert
Burkina Faso Excreta Composting
Business - UDDT
Images courtesy of New Agriculturist
Tiger Toilet- Vermicomposting
Images courtesy of Sanitation Ventures
Fresh Life Toilet
Images courtesy of Cartier International/Fresh Life.
What’s right for your household?
What’s right for your community?