Compare Composting Toilets

For those interested in low impact building and living, practical alternatives to the traditional flush type toilet can be found when you compare composting toilets. These water conserving fixtures have evolved from those early models, those that were once common to outhouses and campgrounds, with those unpleasant odors and unsanitary conditions. Today's composting toilets are rather like your standard toilet, and new technology has made many of them odor free and perfectly practical for indoor installation and use.

Composting toilets are a great water conservation tool. Traditional toilets use a substantial amount of water every day to carry that waste away. And, those flushing toilets require a great deal of support down the line to handle the disposal of the waste contaminated water, either a sewage system or a septic tank must be in place. Sewage systems have to deposit the waste somewhere, which, these days most often means a sewage treatment plant, although there are still some areas in which the sewage is dumped into rivers, streams, or oceans, contaminating these bodies of water. Septic tanks can leak, allowing sewage to leach, contaminating soil and ground water supplies. Composting toilets eliminate the need for sewage disposal. These self contained units break down and dehydrate human waste to a compost product that can be added to the soil, sanitized and compacted by the drying and composting process.

Beyond these important environmental considerations, there are circumstances in which composting toilets are simply more convenient and practical than those that require a reliable water supply to operate. For instance, some areas have limited water supplies, such as the desert areas of the Southwestern United States. In these areas, where water conservation is a matter of necessity, composting toilets can be the most sensible solution. A family building a home in a rural area can save quite a bit on building costs with the use of composting toilets, eliminating the need for sewer line or septic tank installation.

Not all composting toilets are created equal. There are a variety of designs and models of composting toilets available on the market today, some requiring no water to operate, while others may need a limited amount of water to function. Some must have electricity available to function, using heat and powered vents to process waste products. These details are important to be aware of as you compare composting toilets, especially if off-grid living is your goal or water supplies are limited, ensuring that you choose the best product for your specific needs.

Another important consideration when comparing different models of composting toilets is the level of use that each is designed to handle. Some composting toilets, often referred to as full time models, are designed for regular household use, able to handle the same amount of daily waste as a traditional residential toilet. Others are designed for use in buildings that are not occupied full time, such as a vacation cabin that is used just a few weeks of the year. Be sure to find out which models suit your needs, whether it is an every day toilet you wish to install, or one that need only see use on an occasional basis.

Maintenance is another issue to consider when choosing a composting toilet. Models with smaller collection and composting tanks will need more frequent maintenance than those with larger storage units. Some units speed composting with aerators, stirring the compost, while others use heat to move the process along. Units that rely on passive composting rather than these technical aids often require more frequent attention to avoid insect invasion or strong odors. However, this is often not the case with the best designed natural composting models, such as those that separate composting waste and fresh matter into their own compartments.

Water free toilets are no longer limited to those that resemble — and smell like - your great grandfather's outhouse. With today's modern, clean, and odor free composting toilet designs, making the switch to this environmentally conscious bathroom option is easier and more practical than ever before.

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