composting toilets

Water is elixir of life, everyone from government agencies to individuals is looking for methods to conserve water and cut costs related with water treatment to make it reusable. Alternative toilets, such as composting toilets, demand nominal to no water to carry the waste off and require no water forthe waste treatment process.

Composting toilets eliminate the need for flush toilets, thereby greatly reducing water-use needs and hence lessen the hydraulic load to a septic system.Composting toilets also provide for the recycling of precious plant nutrients by making a soil-like supplement. Composting toilets can be used anywhere a normal toilet can be used. A composting toilet is also well suited for seasonal homes, recreation areas, remote areas where water is scarce, or areas with high water tables, shallow soil, or rough terrain. The main objective of a composting toilet is to collect and destroy pathogens, thereby eliminating the risk of human infection and environmental pollution. A composting toilet is a well-ventilated container that provides the optimum environment for microorganism to decay the organic matter and transform it with naturally occurring bacteria and fungi into a soil-like material called humus.

Advantages of composting toilets are:

Reduced water consumption.
Low amount and strength of waste water to be disposed of on site.
Well suited for remote areas.
Low power consumption.
Elimination of need for transportation of waste for treatment.
Nutrient-rich end product that can be used as fertilizer.
Reduces area occupied by the septic tank.
Ideal for new construction.


Disadvantages of composting toilets are:

Maintenance requires commitment from owner/user.
Improperly installed or maintained systems may produce odours or an unprocessed end product that may have possible health effects.
Too much liquid (leachate) in the reactor can disrupt the composting process if not drained or maintained properly.Removal of end product may be repellent if the composting toilet is not operating properly.
Does not eliminate the necessity for a septic system in many cases to treat other wastes.
Some units require a power source for heat and/or ventilation.
Aesthetics may be a concern since the excrement in some units may be in sight of the user.

Thus composting toilets have booth advantages and disadvantages.It totally depands on individual opinion to use a composting toilet.



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composting toilets advantages and disadvantages