Composting toilets, these days, look like regular toilets. The difference is in how they function and how you use them.

A composting toilet doesn’t require any flushing. Instead, there are two containers attached to the toilet (one for solid and one for liquid). The liquid automatically goes down some holes at the bottom of the toilet bowl into it’s own container.

The solid waste sits in the toilet bowl until you open a flap at the bottom of the bowl which then drops that into a composting bin that is filled with composting material which is usually made up of peat moss, sawdust, soil, pine needles, leaves, grass clippings, etc.

After you’ve used the toilet and dumped your waste material into the bin – there’s a mechanism on the side of the toilet that you turn which stirs the new waste into the composting material. – mixing it all up.

You can use this type of toilet about 60 to 80 times before you need to empty out the compost bin. A note of caution here – if you want to make it easier on yourself to empty that waste bin, we would recommend that you do so at after about 40 uses. That way the bin is not 100% full.

The front of the compost toilet should have a separate container for urine. It’s recommended that no liquid go down the back end of the toilet which is where only your solid waste should go. We would recommend that you clean that and that particular container should be cleaned out very frequently because it is much smaller than the main composting bin. It may be helpful to make this a nightly habit.

You may be wondering about the “smell” but composting toilets do come with an exhaust fan to move the odor out of the building / rv.

Do You Have To Empty A Composting Toilet?

Yes, you absolutely have to empty a composting toilet – can’t get away from that chore! Here are some tips on how to best do that.

  • We recommend you wear a dust mask when doing this – you’ll be happier and safer if you do
  • You will also want to wear some type of protective gloves (rubber or latex work fine) and then of course, wash or dispose of them afterwards
  • If you can empty the bin after about 40 uses – it should not be 100% full which would make it much easier to carry and to clean out
  • If you are going to bury the compost waste – it should be buried at least 4 inches deep into the ground
  • DO NOT use your commpost waste in your garden of food plants and vegetables

How Do You Use A Composting Toilet?

There are several different kinds of composting toilets and how each one is used changes, depending on the manufacturer.

But generally, once you’ve finished your “business” – you would push a mechanism that then opens a flap at the bottom of your composting toilet which then drops your waste into the composting bin which is located below that flap. So, there is no “flush” using water in this type of toilet.

So, using a compost toilet is very similar to using a standard toilet.

The biggest difference is in cleaning out that compost bin which we recommend to do after about 40 uses. You can follow the instructions we listed above on how to empty that bin and properly maintain your composting toilet.

If you have any questions about composting toilets or are having some problems with one, call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-505-8570. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.