A composting toilet is one that uses little or no water and treats the waste as valuable compost. A composting toilet essentially works by providing an enclosed environment for the natural process of aerobic decomposition. It has the ability to greatly reduce your water storage and supply costs while supplying your garden with valuable "humanure." Building your own composting toilet can be as complex or simple as you want. The basic model will consist of a toilet top, a composting unit, a vent system and a toilet seat. Does this Spark an idea?
Design
Decide on the location of your composting toilet. It will be a semi-permanent fixture that will need minor maintenance and a vertical PVC pipe vent leading from the top of the toilet through the roof to the outside of your home so take special consideration when choosing your location. Outline a design for your toilet on paper, filling in all of the details as you go, including dimensions and materials. Make sure that your design will accommodate the intended number of users. You may choose to build a self-contained unit that combines the commode and the composting compartment or a split unit, which has a separate commode and composting components. In a self-contained unit, the composting compartment must sit directly below the commode. In a split-unit design, the storage chamber must be accessible for compost removal. Decide whether your design will use a small amount of water to flush the commode.
Building
Use plywood and hardwood to construct your toilet's top. Make sure to sand smooth all corners and edges. Get a lined barrel from a farm feed mill, a honey farm or a food processing plant or build another type of compost chamber. Install an adequate ventilation system with PVC pipes. You may want to add on a fan to ensure the positive suction of air through the toilet at all times. Build a square lid made out of plywood or hardwood that can close the air in tight. You can use a regular toilet seat: just make sure it has a large enough lid to cover the entire seat.
Special Considerations
Avoid oversaturation in your composting chamber, which can slow the composting process and increase the likelihood of odor. Having a separate compartment for urination is one option, while another might be to have unobstructed airflow--a vent fan--and extra warmth, such as a small heater, for increased evaporation. Extra moisture may also be soaked up by simply adding a handful of sawdust or leaf mold each time the toilet is used. Make sure you use plain toilet paper and don't throw sanitary napkins or tampons into the toilet. These items will not decompose properly and will defeat the purpose of your toilet. Your "humanure" will be ready to use when everything has been broken down and it has a dry and crumbly consistency. If you have any doubt, leave the compost alone for another few months before you use it in your garden.
Tags: composting toilet, Make sure, your composting, your toilet, commode composting