Composting toilets - hit or putty?

Dry composting (separating) toilets are also becoming more and more popular among owners of classic campers, not only in Europe. Due to the advantages of this solution, many users also decide to replace the traditional toilet. Today we will briefly explain the design assumptions and principle of operation.

Faction separation is the key to success

Separating toilets, as the name suggests, are designed to divide/separate - in the case of toilets, it is specifically about separating the dry fraction from the wet fraction (liquids). This solution has proven to be very effective over the years, especially among globetrotters undertaking distant expeditions to the farthest corners of the world. The main argument in their case is the lack of need to look for dedicated waste disposal stations for campers - after all, in many countries such infrastructure simply does not exist. However, this is of course not the only advantage.

The principle of operation is easy to explain. The toilet separator insert – also called a separator – ensures that liquids and solids are drained separately into separate containers: urine at the front, solids at the back. Special litter, such as chaff left after roasting coffee, sawdust or wood shavings, is used to dry the "solid" output in the container.

Environmentally friendly and easy to use

The advantages of this system are obvious. The separation of solid and liquid substances prevents the formation of unpleasant odors. Chemical additives and water are not necessary, the latter would even be counterproductive, because urine begins to emit an unpleasant odor only when in contact with water. Solids shrink by up to 80 percent as they dry - allowing longer periods between emptying and greater independence. We can empty the container with the liquid fraction (i.e. urine) in any traditional toilet.

Various models of composting toilets

The market for composting toilets (as this is what you can call the process) is constantly growing. Manufacturers such as TomTur, Airhead, Campbee, BOXIO, Biotoi, Trelino, Trobolo, Kildwick, Separett, Outdoor Revolution already produce several different models, from the cheapest to the most advanced. Some toilets have a mixer in the container for solids - in this case, after using the toilet, the user activates a lever or crank so that the mixer mixes the solids with the drying litter. The latest models can, of course, be equipped with an electric stirrer. Other models do not require a mixer and rely solely on the composting effect of the mulch. In this case, many manufacturers recommend adding a new layer of bedding after each toilet use. It is worth paying attention to whether a given vehicle model requires minor or major modifications related to the venting, which is an integral part of the system, if any. Many manufacturers offer their dry composting toilets as self-assembly kits, and judging by the materials presented on their websites, this is not a very complicated process and does not require extraordinary technical skills. It is also encouraging that, given the current fashion for building really small spaces in metal sheet metal, such a toilet can successfully find a place there without the need for dedicated installations and water connections.

Composting toilets - where to buy?

You can find a wide range of composting toilets at Skylark https://bit.ly/toaletyseparujace