How does a composting toilet work?
A composting toilet works like a dry separation toilet, as it is the highest class of separation toilet. In contrast to a classic dry separation toilet, it is designed for long-term use. Pre-composting with substrate and the collected faeces takes place in the excrement collection tank. Like all urine-diverting toilets, it works according to the drying principle. The urine is also separated from the solids by a built-in separator insert and collected in a separate container provided for this purpose. In order to ensure continuous drying in the composting toilet and thus a long service life of up to 6 weeks, a built-in fan and a connected exhaust air hose are required. This combination keeps the excrement in the solid waste container dry and odour-free. For the composting toilet to function properly, the fan must be in constant operation. For this reason, this type of separation toilet is intended for permanent installation, as a permanent power supply must be guaranteed. After emptying, the litter can be placed in the home's own composter, where it is composted with other garden waste to create valuable humus.
What is special about a composting toilet?
The special thing about the composting toilet system compared to the conventional chemical toilet is that you don't need any water or chemicals to use it. By constantly drying the excrement and separating urine and solids, no odours are produced and the dry separation toilet is completely odourless. Depending on the model, the toilet can be used for up to 6 weeks without emptying.
What is the difference between urine-diverting toilets, dry toilets and composting toilets?
There are many types of dry toilets. These differ in terms of use and range. All dry toilets work on the principle of drying, but the special feature of urine-diverting toilets and composting toilets is that the separation principle is also used here. This means that the urine is separated from the solids using a separator insert, which is usually built into the toilet seat. This means that the container for urine and faeces can be disposed of separately or, in the case of composting toilets, can even be turned into compost by composting in the composter in your own garden. The differences between the toilets are as follows:
Classic dry toilet without separation insert:
- A collection container with bag for all faeces
- Litter or substrate is used to cover odours
- Faeces are covered by hand after using the toilet
- When the volume is reached, the bag can be disposed of in the residual waste
(Portable) separation toilet with separation insert:
- Built-in separation insert in the toilet separates urine from faeces Urine is collected in an extra container and can be disposed of in the toilet, gully or garden as fertiliser
- The solids container is lined with a bag that can be disposed of with the residual waste
- Excrement is covered by hand after going to the toilet
- Short range of 5-6 days, depending on the model and size of the toilet
Fixed composting toilet:
- Built-in separator insert in the toilet seat separates urine and solids Litter is added to the solids container in advance
- Built-in agitator that covers the solid faeces
- Fan and exhaust air hose available for continuous drying
- Long range of up to 6 weeks possible
- Composting on the composter in your own garden possible
How much water can you save with a composting toilet?
A conventional toilet system at home with a connection to the sewage system uses between 6 and 9 litres of water per flush. If an adult uses the toilet five times a day and uses 6 litres each time, this results in a daily consumption of 30 litres. If there are two people in the household who use the toilet several times a day, the consumption increases accordingly to 60 litres per day. Extrapolated to a week, two people using a composting toilet can therefore save 420 litres. In addition, urine-diverting toilets do not require any chemicals, which also eliminates this environmental impact.
Why should I use a composting toilet?
Using a composting toilet has many advantages that make travelling more pleasant. Composting toilets work without water, so you don't have to carry any extra water with you and don't waste any valuable resources. In addition, a composting toilet does not require any chemicals, so you do not have to rely on a special disposal station when travelling. As the urine and faeces are separated in a composting toilet and collected in the container provided for each, the excrement can also be disposed of separately. The urine can be emptied in the toilet at the service area, in the gully or in a wooded area. If necessary, the litter with faeces can be transferred to a bin liner and disposed of in the residual waste. Using a dry separation toilet not only saves valuable resources, but also gives you unlimited freedom when travelling with this self-sufficient toilet.
How often does the composting toilet need to be emptied?
How often a composting toilet needs to be emptied depends on the model and the volume of the solid waste container. A composting toilet is specially designed for long-term use, which is why emptying is only necessary at long intervals. Depending on the model and size of the excrement container, the emptying intervals are between 2 and 6 weeks for continuous use by two people. Regardless of its capacity, the separate urine container should be emptied after 3 days at the latest to avoid unpleasant odours.What are the dimensions of ToMTuR composting toilets?
The dimensions of composting toilets vary depending on the model and intended use. Each dry composting toilet has a different capacity and therefore a different size specifically for itself and its intended purpose. The largest composting toilet available on the market and sold by us is the Nature's Head. If you want to install a composting toilet in your caravan, camper or garden shed without a connection to the sewage system, you should always pay attention to the recommended room width so that the toilet system can be operated without any problems. In addition to the Nature's Head, we also offer the ATY Prime and OGO Origin, which are also high-quality composting toilets.
How much do composting toilets from ToMTur cost?
The price of the composting toilet depends on its size and the technical details. A composting toilet with a mechanical agitator is slightly cheaper than the version with a built-in motor that starts at the push of a button. Our two mechanical models, with hand or foot crank, the Nature's Head and ATY Prime are priced at €1250. Our OGO Origin has an electric agitator, which is more convenient and requires less labour. The price for this toilet is €1350.