The deluxe outhouse—deluxe because this converted ice fishing hut houses a slick new composting toilet—has been sitting out in the field for a month now, nestled behind the drive shed, just inside the gate at the top of the market garden field. It’s all clean and shipshape, but the interior decorating plans bouncing around back in early summer haven’t come to pass. No whitewash, no Tibetan prayer flags, candles, incense, or other deluxe fittings and accessories, just single-ply toilet paper and a small bucket of peat moss, for tossing in, a handful a day. No frills! The toilet is equipped with an electric heater and fan for dealing with high traffic—up to eight people, three times a day—but I haven’t plugged it in so far, as I’m the only regular client. So far, in fact, there’ve been only TWO other takers to pass through the door. Oh well, if you haven’t experienced convenient, in-field evacuation, without plumbing…you haven’t tried it all! No odor, no flies… It’s great!
I recently went tent camping overnight. They had a small trailer not much bigger than your outhouse, divided and marked as MENS and WOMENS bathrooms. No noticeable pipes ran in or out of the trailer, so I’m guessing they were using composting toilets in there. Each side had the potential to receive much more than 24 uses each day though, so I have no idea how they manage it. I opted for the main headquarters up near the office.
It really suprises me that there is so much resistance to compost toilets. A little more than a century ago there weren’t even any flush toilets. But, like you, I like the convenience of putting a toilet out near where you are working in the field.
BTW, you actually can have a flush toilet feed a composting system. Basically lots of peat moss, leaf mold, red wriggler worms in a a decent size box. The regular splash of water makes this system even more effecient. Excess water should be allowed drain to a safe field.
I think the main drawback to wider acceptance–ever since Abby
Rockefeller began promoting her Clivus units back in early 70’s–
is that people just wont do the minimal maint. to keep them from
smelling and flies. The usual sequence is that it works great for the
original owner, then the place changes hands and the new owner
keeps it sort of as a ‘conversation piece’ but wont do the minimum
maintenance to keep it happy.
Glad you’re making the effort–god knows they’re infinitely better than those reeking Portapots
I’m so jealous!!! What sort of composting toilet do you have in there? I’d thought if it wasn’t electric, you had to have a basement to have one.
I would make a deposit for sure!
Looks absolutely deluxe!
well composting toilet will be in homes.some look like old toilet u wound find in a out house.ya
Any more recent updates? I was considering the envirolet system for my home-a bit put off by some of the negative comments–now that some time has passed how would you rate your experience with the envirolet ?
Whow. This is different. It’s a nice design and the ideas on how you built it, I appreciate the ideas on how it works. <a href=”http://www.cubiclesolutions.co.uk”>toilet cubicles</a>
We installed a composting toilet (Envirolet) in our yurt’s bath house several years ago and have had a really awful experience with them. I’m a 100% believer in the composting human waste idea, and have used home-made systems before that worked (and smelled) WAY better than the Envirolet. My advise: don’t buy one. Save your money, do some real research, and make a good one.
Any updates on your system? I’m super curious! I’ve hinted at our disillusion on our blog momsyurt.blogspot.com….
I wish now that I had never wasted so much money on an envirolet. They are next to useless and so much hassle for nothing. Dont waste youre money. All their hype on how well they work is bullsh** and thet know that they dont work.