This toilet, when properly managed,
uses almost no water and creates no environmental pollution, while recovering soil nutrients to
enrich plant growth. Proper use of this toilet
requires three important steps:
COVER YOUR CRAP --
Always thoroughly cover the toilet contents
with a clean cover material (sawdust, peat moss, etc.) after
each use. There should be enough cover material inside the
toilet at all times to completely eliminate unpleasant odors.
All urine and fecal material should be deposited into the toilet.
COMPOST THE HUMANURE -- Only empty
the toilet contents into a compost
bin constructed for this purpose. An average bin can be
built using four standard wooden pallets on edge, tied together,
for example. Never discard the toilet contents into
the environment anywhere else. Erect the compost bin on a soil
base and start the bin with a slightly concave bottom and an 18” thick,
dense layer of organic material such as hay, straw and/or weeds
(this is the “biological sponge”). Dig a depression
into the top center of
the bin contents and deposit the toilet materials there when
emptying a bucket, then always thoroughly cover any new
deposits (see step 3). Collect the toilet material in one bin
for at least a year, then allow the material to age in that
bin for another year while the next bin is filling. In any
case, allow the compost bin contents to age for one year after
collection before applying to soil. If the temperature of the
compost is monitored and consistent thermophilic (hot)
conditions are observed, the finished compost may be used for
food production. If in doubt, use the finished compost
for horticultural purposes.
COVER THE COMPOST --
Always cover new deposits in the compost bin with a thorough
layer of fresh, clean (i.e. non-smelly)
cover material such as hay, straw, weeds, leaves or other bulky
material. The cover material must be adequate enough to prevent
the release of unpleasant odors from the compost bin. A supply
of cover materials must always be kept handy to the compost
bins (a few bales of straw stacked beside the bin, for example). Part
the cover materials with a pitchfork or shovel before adding
the toilet deposit, then cover again.
OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER – Always
wash out the emptied toilet bucket with a little biodegradable
soap (dish soap works well) using a long handled toilet brush.
Wash water should be poured into the compost
bin. One gallon of water will clean two five-gallon buckets.
Make sure toilet paper and even toilet paper tubes are added
to the toilet contents. Compost benefits from a variety of
materials, so food, kitchen scraps, garden residues and yard
materials should all be deposited into
the compost bin along with the toilet materials (leaves
and weeds can be stockpiled in an adjacent covered bin and
used as needed for cover material). For more information, consult
the Humanure Handbook, free
online (humanurehandbook.com) or available via any book
store. The book is available for $25 by calling toll free 866-641-7141 or by ordering
from the publisher.
