Composting toilets are not as disgusting as they sound. Because once you take the water traps out, you usually remove the smell (composting toilets tend to smell like sweet earth, if installed well). Suitable for off-grid homes (and other areas like church yards and allotments), composting toilets are also solving issues in countries without sanitiation. Natsol sells modern composting toilets, including ones with wheelchair access. Read The Compost Toilet Handbook!
So here’s a quick science lesson; when you mix urine and poo together, it creams ‘blackwater’. Modern composting toilets use urine diverters and bowls to separate the two, with air filters to dry everything out. Solids dehydrate into compost, with diluted urine poured down drains (don’t pour urine on plants as it often contains medicines and pollutants – even diluted, earthworms will give you nasty looks).
Once ready, you can use ‘humanure’ to grow fruits and vegetables (but you are not allowed to sell them without Environmental Agency approval). Ensure urine does not share greywater sources (like sinks) as they may contain skin cells, grease or fat). Do not grow food that has been in touch with animal poo.
