[Greenbuilding] Compost toilet

[Lawrence Lile]

Well, the composter is installed!  

There are a lot of ways to make a composter, and most of them are way to
complicated IMHO.  The simple ways include the 5 gallon bucket compost
toilet, and the 50 gallon drum compost toilet.  I've made dozens of 50
gallon drum models, and given them to a number of people or used them
myself.  

This time I used a 30 gallon drum.  The 30 gallon drum is much lighter
when fulla poop.  I attached two boards to the base to make it more
stable.  One of the complaints about the 50 gallon drum model is it is
tippy.  I added a step, set so the feet are just at the right height
when sitting.  There is another handy 30 gallon drum with sawdust and a
cup just the right size for one scoop per poop. The toilet seat is
bolted to a removable plastic lid that clamps onto the drum.  This way,
a full drum can have a lid clamped right onto it and stored for a summer
to compost, while the next drum gets the seat clamped on.  Everything is
portable, so it can be pulled out and mopped clean.

The 30 gallon model sports an oak toilet seat, because life is too short
for cheap plastic toilet seats, plus a handy arrangement of reading
material on a shelf including "Goodbye to the Flush Toilet" and "The
Toilet Papers" by Sim Van Der Rijn.  

There is just the slightest odor, not really unpleasant, but enough that
I plan to install a vent stack and seal the toilet seat a little better.
I used to use these composters out in the garage, where the slightest
ventilation got rid of any odor problems. Right now I am leaving a
window slightly cracked and that takes care of it.  

I'll have to post a few photos on my web page when I get around to it,
I'm quite pleased with how it looks and functions.

Lawrence Lile, PE, LEED AP