Composting toilets - hit or putty?

Dry composting (separating) toilets are also becoming increasingly popular among classic campervan owners, not only in Europe. Due to the advantages of this solution, many users are also choosing to replace their traditional toilets. Today, we'll briefly explain the design principles and operating principles.

Faction separation is the key to success

Separating toilets, as the name suggests, are designed to separate waste – specifically, in the case of toilets, the goal is to separate dry waste from wet waste (liquids). This solution has proven successful over the years, especially among globetrotters embarking on long journeys to the farthest corners of the world. The main advantage is that they eliminate the need to seek out dedicated waste disposal stations for campers – after all, in many countries, such infrastructure simply doesn't exist. However, this isn't the only advantage.

The operating principle is easy to explain. A separating insert in the toilet—also called a separator—provides separate drainage of liquid and solid substances into separate containers: urine at the front, solids at the back. Special mulch, such as coffee chaff, sawdust, or wood shavings, is used to dry the "solid" waste in the container.

Environmentally friendly and easy to use

The advantages of this system are obvious. Separating solids from liquids prevents unpleasant odors. Chemical additives and water are unnecessary; the latter would even be counterproductive, as urine begins to emit an unpleasant odor only upon contact with water. During drying, solids shrink by up to 80 percent, allowing for longer periods between emptying and greater independence. The container containing the liquid fraction (i.e., urine) can be emptied in any traditional toilet.

Different models of composting toilets

The market for composting toilets (as this process could be called) is constantly growing. Manufacturers such as TomTur, Airhead, Campbee, BOXIO, Biotoi, Trelino, TROBOLO composting toilets , Kildwick, Separett, and Outdoor Revolution now produce several different models, from the cheapest to the most advanced. Some toilets have an agitator in the solids container – in this case, after using the toilet, the user activates a lever or crank to mix the solids with the drying litter. The latest models, of course, may already be equipped with an electric agitator. Other models do not require an agitator and rely solely on the composting action of the litter. In such cases, many manufacturers recommend adding a new layer of litter after each toilet use. It's worth considering whether a specific vehicle model requires minor or major modifications related to the venting system, which is an integral part of the system, if one is required. Many manufacturers offer their dry composting toilets as self-assembly kits, and judging by the materials presented on their websites, this isn't an overly complicated process or one that requires exceptional technical skills. It's also encouraging that, with the current trend toward building metal structures into truly small spaces, such a toilet can easily fit 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