What is “humanure”?
Humanure (human manure) is human fecal material and urine.
It is a major source of environmental pollution around
the world. It is also a source of disease organisms. When
discarded into the environment as a waste material, it
creates pollution and threatens public health. When recycled,
the pollution and health threats can be eliminated. Humanure
also contains valuable soil nutrients that can enhance
plant growth. For these reasons, humanure should be recycled
whenever possible.
How can humanure be recycled?
Humanure can be recycled in two basic ways. First, it can
be applied raw to agricultural land. In this case, humanure
may be called “night soil.” Unfortunately, raw
applications of humanure to soil can still create pollution
and spread disease, so this method of recycling is strongly
discouraged.
The second method of recycling humanure is through a process
called “composting.” This is the process used
by the humanure compost toilet system described in this manual.
What is composting?
Composting is the feeding of organic material such as humanure
to small organisms such as bacteria. Many compost organisms
are too small to be seen, however, many of them can be seen.
The larger ones include earthworms and many other tiny insects.
Fungi also live in compost piles and they digest the tougher,
woody plant materials.
What are organic materials?
Organic materials are those materials that came from recently
living things such as plants and animals. Common organic
materials include animal manures, including humanure, sawdust,
food scraps, weeds, leaves, grasses, wool, hay, straw, agricultural
byproducts such as wheat chaff or residues from beer-making
or vodka-making. A compostable organic material that is not
from a recently living thing would be, for example, peat
moss.
How does one feed these materials to compost organisms?
Organic materials are fed to compost organisms by creating
a compost pile. A compost pile allows us to combine various
organic materials above ground where air can reach the pile
and provide oxygen to the aerobic microorganisms inside it.
It also allows us to keep the organic materials quarantined
inside an enclosed area away from people, dogs, goats, chickens
and other creatures that should not be disturbing the compost
pile.
Compost microorganisms will digest and convert humanure into
a safe and pleasant soil-like material when the humanure
is combined with other organic materials, especially ones
that include materials such as grass, leaves, sawdust, hay,
straw, and other animal manures. Compost organisms do not
like raw humanure because it is too wet and too high in nitrogen.
When combined with drier materials that are higher in carbon,
such as the materials listed above, the compost organisms
love to eat humanure.
Humanure Toilets
A humanure
toilet is a collection device and not a waste
disposal device. The purpose of a humanure toilet is to collect
human fecal material and urine so that the toilet material
can be composted. Also collected in the toilet are all toilet
paper as well as paper tubes from the center of the toilet
paper rolls (if any). All urine is collected in the humanure
toilet and not diverted for collection elsewhere. Also collected
in a humanure toilet are vomit (when sick), and baby diaper
fecal material (scraped off the cloth diaper into the humanure
toilet). Collect food scraps in a separate compost container
and deposit them directly into the same outdoor compost bin.
If you collect food scraps in the humanure toilet, you risk
a fruit fly infestation.
The humanure toilet should be constructed to look like a
normal toilet with a toilet seat. It should be located in
a private, comfortable setting, indoors during cold weather
or year-round. The collection container should have approximately
a 20 liter capacity. When properly used, the humanure toilet
will create no unpleasant odors. See the Loveable Loo.
How can a humanure toilet not create bad odors?
When any foul smelling material is deposited into a humanure
toilet, it is covered with a clean organic material in order
to prevent odor, absorb moisture and prepare the material
for composting. This is how humanure is mixed with the other
organic materials that allow it to be composted — by
covering. No manual mixing, stirring or digging of the humanure
is required, only covering. Therefore, the clean organic
materials used in the toilet are called “cover materials.” The
cover materials used in the toilet should have a somewhat
dry and fine consistency. Sawdust from trees (rather than
boards) is ideal, but other materials can be used depending
on what is locally available. Some areas utilize rice hulls,
others utilize coco coir, peat moss, rotted leaves, etc.,
even shredded junk mail. Proper cover materials are absolutely
essential to the successful operation of a humanure toilet.
Can wood ashes be used as a cover material?
Wood ashes or coal ashes should not be used as a cover material
in humanure toilets, nor should they be used for making compost.
Compost organisms do not digest such materials. Clean wood
ashes (wood ashes without plastic or other garbage burned
in the fire) are good for the soil. They should be spread
over a garden area or saved in an outdoor pile or in a fire-proof
container for later garden use, but not added to a compost
pile.
How much humanure can be collected in a 20 liter container?
A 20 liter container will collect about one week’s
worth of human fecal material and urine, including cover
material, produced by one adult. Human excrement is mostly
liquid. The liquid will fill in the spaces between the cover
material as the toilet container fills up. When using a humanure
toilet, a clean layer of cover material should be kept over
the toilet contents at all times. The simple rule to follow
is this: if the toilet contents have an odor, add more cover
material until there is no odor.
How is the humanure composted?
The collected toilet material is carried to an outdoor compost
bin and added to the bin’s contents. If a single
adult were using a humanure toilet with a proper cover material,
he or she would have to empty one
toilet receptacle once a week. For an average family of four,
four toilet receptacles would have to be emptied per week,
which can be done all at once (one day per week), if desired.
For every 20 liter container of compost material carried
out of the toilet to the compost pile, an equal container
of organic cover material will be necessary to bring into
the toilet room. Under normal circumstances, it should take
about 20 minutes to empty and clean four toilet containers.
This job of humanure compost-making should be conducted by
a single family member who is trained in the use of a humanure
toilet, although other family members can also assume this
responsibility if they have also undergone proper training.
[More about emptying toilet receptacles]
What can you use for a toilet receptacle?
A plastic receptacle with a handle, a lid and approximately
a 20 liter capacity makes for a simple, inexpensive humanure
toilet receptacle. Presumably, any easily carried waterproof
container with a lid can be used as a humanure receptacle.
Is one toilet receptacle enough?
Not really. For best results, the humanure toilet should
be equipped with a minimum of four toilet receptacles, all
of which have lids and all of which are exactly the same
size and shape. When one receptacle is filled, it is removed
from the toilet, covered with a lid, and set aside, preferably
in a non-freezing location (it’s impossible to empty
frozen containers). A clean, empty receptacle is then set
inside the toilet to replace the one that has been removed.
When the second receptacle is filled, it is also removed,
covered and set aside. The third receptacle is then set into
the toilet. Now the first two receptacles can be emptied
into the compost bin. It is easier to carry two receptacles
at a time when toilet containers with handles are being used.
It is important to have the toilet ready and available for
use at all times. For example, you do not want all of your
toilet receptacles to be full when someone has to use the
toilet. Also, when four receptacles are being used, they
can all be emptied at the same time when the fourth one is
nearing full. Empty and clean the first two that have been
set aside, put an empty one in the toilet, then empty the
next two. This is often the simplest approach as it only
takes about 20 minutes per week.
Won’t the toilet containers smell
bad after they are emptied?
Yes, the toilet containers will smell bad. That is why they
must be cleaned every time they are emptied. They should
be cleaned by using a long handled toilet brush and water.
Graywater and rain water are both suitable for this purpose.
The soap in the graywater will not hurt the compost. In fact,
a little bit of soap is good to use when cleaning the compost
container. It takes about 2 liters of water to clean one
20 liter toilet container. All water used to clean the compost
receptacles should be deposited into the compost pile and
never anywhere else. Furthermore, only biodegradable soaps
should be used. Toxic liquids such as paints, solvents and
petroleum products should never be allowed to contaminate
graywater or compost. After emptying and cleaning toilet
containers, the compost-maker should wash her or his hands.
What is the compost pile like?
Humanure can constitute a threat to public health because
it can contain disease organisms. Therefore, it must be kept
isolated from access to the public until it completes the
composting process. There are three basic rules of human
sanitation: 1) humanure should not come into contact with
water; 2) humanure should not come into contact with soil;
and 3) you should always wash your hands after using any
toilet or after adding toilet materials to a compost bin.
Humanure is composted in a “compost
bin.” The
purpose of the bin is to isolate and quarantine the humanure
so that it does not come into contact with soil or water,
nor can it be accessed by children or animals. Also, the
bin elevates the humanure into a vertical pile, which helps
the compost organisms have access to the oxygen they thrive
on.
Why won’t the humanure come into
contact with the soil when it is put into the compost bin?
A humanure compost bin should be built on a soil base. This
allows soil organisms to enter the compost from underneath.
Such organisms can include earthworms and many other small
creatures and insects, all of which are good for the compost
pile. When building a new bin, some dirt should be removed
from the bottom of the bin in order to shape the floor of
the bin like a very shallow bowl. Before a humanure compost
pile is started in the bin, the indented bottom of the compost
bin is filled with organic materials in order to create a
thick layer between the humanure and the soil. This layer
will absorb liquids draining from the initial humanure deposits.
This is called a “biological sponge.” It can
be made of grass, leaves, weeds, hay, straw, animal manures,
etc., or a blend of such ingredients, and it should be approximately
one half meter deep or more. Once the humanure begins to
compost (this is indicated by internal heating of the compost
pile and may take 2 to 6 weeks), the compost pile will then
begin to absorb moisture and will even require watering in
dry climates. Graywater can be used to keep the compost pile
damp. The compost should always have the moisture consistency
of a wrung-out sponge, and can even be wet, which is why
we add all urine to a compost pile. If it is too dry, the
microorganisms cannot thrive and the organic material will
not compost.
Why would it take 2-6 weeks before the compost begins to work?
The compost pile requires a certain amount of mass before
it will start to compost and a certain amount of time for
the compost organisms to multiply. That’s why composting
will not occur in the toilet itself, only in the compost
bin. The amount of biological activity in the compost pile
can be determined by monitoring the temperature of the compost
using a compost thermometer, which should be about 50 cm
long. Compost organisms generate heat during the composting
process. Some compost piles will be so hot you cannot put
your hand inside the pile. The heat, however, is internal.
Compost piles do not radiate heat and cannot effectively
be used as a heat source. [Get
a compost thermometer]
Will the compost bin smell bad?
When any toilet material is deposited into the compost bin,
it must again be covered by a cover material to prevent odor.
The cover materials used in the compost bin can be rough
and course and can include such things as weeds, leaves,
grasses, hay, straw, even scrap woolen or cotton materials,
but should never include tree branches or other thick, woody
materials, including wood chips. The cover materials should
be used in such a manner as to keep a cushion of cover material
around the outside edge of the bin in order to prevent toilet
materials from leaking from the sides of the bin. The toilet
materials should be deposited into the center of the bin
into a depression dug there for that purpose, then covered
over with the cover material. A tool should be kept at the
compost bin for use in making the compost and the tool (such
as a shovel or hay fork) should not be used for any other
purpose anywhere else. The same rule for cover material usage
at the toilet is used at the compost bin: if it smells bad,
cover it until there is no odor.
What about rain water? If humanure is not to come into contact with
water, should we keep out the rain?
Rain water is good for compost because it helps keep the
compost moist. Once the compost starts working, it can absorb
a lot of moisture. In areas where rain is excessive such
as monsoon areas, it may be advisable to cover the compost
during heavy rains. If the compost is subjected to excessive
rain, it can leach liquids from the bottom of the pile. This
is unlikely to occur under normal circumstances. However,
in severe rain conditions a simple water-proof cover over
the compost, such as a large plastic bag or tarp, will prevent
leaching. In dry climates, in addition to allowing rain to
wet the compost, the compost may need to be watered. Graywater
can be used for this purpose.
What about freezing?
If the compost pile gets too cold, it will lose its heat,
stop working and go dormant. In very cold climates, it will
freeze solid. When the compost pile is frozen, it can still
be added to. Care should be taken to keep a cushion of cover
material around the outer edge of the bin in the winter months.
Also, the material added to the frozen pile should be spread
out to keep it somewhat flat in order to prevent a frozen
mountain from developing in the center of the pile. Furthermore,
in very cold months, cover materials will also freeze. It
is best to keep cover materials dry in the winter months
so they don’t freeze. A bale or two of straw or hay,
per family of four, per month, will provide sufficient cover
material for use on the compost pile during the winter. It
should be noted that the compost will not emit unpleasant
odors when frozen, so quantities of cover material used in
cold winter conditions can be minimal. In addition, the cover
materials used in the toilet itself should be kept from freezing.
If sawdust is used as a cover material in the toilet, for
example, a container of sawdust should be kept indoors and
unfrozen at all times.
What else should be put into the compost pile besides toilet materials?
All food scraps should also go into the compost bin. These
can include meats, bones, fats, vegetable peels, liquids
such as spoiled milk or stale beer, tea bags, egg shells,
hair, and anything else that is organic and produced by the
household during food production and consumption. Of course,
bones and meat scraps can also go to a dog and food scraps
to a pig, but these materials can also go into the compost
pile. So can cotton sanitary napkins (although you will have
to pick out pieces of plastic from the compost when it is
finished). Small animal mortalities such as dead chickens,
ducks or other creatures can be recycled through a compost
pile as well. Other animal manures, such as chicken manure,
sheep manure, horse manure, goat manure, etc., are also excellent
for adding to a compost pile. If you have large amounts of
animal manures, such as from a herd of animals, much of the
animal manure can be composted separately so your household
humanure compost bin does not fill too quickly. When adding
foods or materials to a compost pile that may attract scavenger
animals such as dogs, always dig a depression in the top
center of the pile, drop the materials into the depression,
and cover over with the compost and the cover materials.
The top center of the compost pile is the most active part
of the compost. This is where fresh material should be added,
if possible. It may be necessary to keep a wire cover on
top of the compost pile to prevent dogs and other animals
from climbing on top of the pile and disturbing the compost.
When should a compost pile be started?
The best time to start a compost pile is in the mid-summer
when the days are the longest. At this time, there is ample
vegetation for creating a biological sponge and for fresh
outdoor cover material. The compost will start working more
quickly during this time of year. Compost prefers fresh,
green vegetable matter over dried vegetable matter, so fresh
leaves, weeds, grasses and sawdust are ideal for a compost
pile. Later in the year, if the pile goes dormant and even
freezes, there will be an adequate population of compost
organisms already in the pile that will enable the pile to
start working again after it thaws out in the spring. On
the other hand, anytime a compost bin fills up and has no
more capacity for additional organic material, a new bin
can be started, even in the winter months.
How long does it take to fill a bin?
A standard humanure compost bin for a family of four is about
1.5 meters square by about 1.5 meters high. A bin of this
size can hold the entire amount of organic materials collected
by a family of four, or more, over a year, including humanure,
cover materials, food scraps, garden and yard materials.
The reason a small bin of this size can hold so much material
is because the compost shrinks while it is working. The
compost organisms are converting the organic materials
into a dense humus — a
process that involves constant shrinking of the organic materials
that are added to the pile. When composting for groups larger
than the average family of four, a single compost bin will
fill more quickly. When this bin is full, a new bin must
be put into use. In cold weather months when the compost
is dormant or frozen, it will undergo no shrinkage and will
fill more quickly. However, once it starts working again
in the spring, it will again start to shrink.
Is this true that a compost pile should be turned periodically with
a shovel?
No, it is not necessary to turn compost piles. Let the compost
organisms do the work for you. Sufficient oxygen will be
entrapped in the pile as you add compost materials. Digging
and turning the pile will disturb the compost organisms that
have established their own layered populations. Just build
the pile, patiently allow it to age, then use the compost.
It is a mistake to try to hurry the composting process. Composting
requires patience. It also helps to have experience, intelligence
and a sense of responsibility. Composting is like an art.
The practice of composting can be improved through experience
and observation. There is much misinformation being circulated
about backyard composting, often, ironically, by compost
educators. To learn more about “compost
myths,” read
the Humanure Handbook.
When is the compost ready to be used?
After the compost bin has been completely filled, it must
be covered with clean cover materials and left to rest, undisturbed
for approximately one year. This is the aging or curing stage
of the compost and it is a very important stage. The amount
of time the compost is allowed to age, undisturbed, is called
the “retention time.” During this time, nothing
whatsoever should be added to the compost bin. During the
retention time, the final decomposition of the organic materials
in the compost bin is taking place. This is often dominated
by fungal organisms as well as larger organisms such as earthworms.
The compost environment is an alien environment for human
disease organisms and such “pathogens” are killed
during the composting process. The retention time allows
for an additional safety period for the destruction of any
lingering human pathogens. The compost will continue to shrink
during the retention time.
How should the finished compost be used?
The finished compost, after the retention time is complete,
should look and smell like rich, dark, moist garden soil.
It can be used to grow garden plants, trees, vines, shrubs
and flowers. If the compost pile has undergone thermophilic
(hot) composting, it can be used on top of the soil as
a mulch. It can be dug into the soil for better root access
for the plants. It can also be buried in holes where trees
and shrubs are to be planted. Once the humanure compost
toilet system is in use and the first batch of compost
has been completed (which will require approximately a
two year period), the average household of four people
will produce approximately one cubic meter of compost annually.
As a matter of control and in the interests of public health,
all compost produced on a family plot should be used only
on that plot.
How do we know the compost is safe to use?
Finished compost will never be sterile, but it should be
sanitary. That means the compost should be teeming with microscopic
life consisting of beneficial microorganisms that do not
pose a threat to human health. Any human disease organisms
that may have been in the original organic materials should
have been eliminated, weakened, or greatly diminished by
the time the compost has been finished. Ideally, when a humanure
compost program is established in a community area, the program
should be monitored by the local health department and the
local agricultural department. Finished compost can be tested
for both the existence of pathogens as well as for agricultural
quality. If a humanure composter has doubts about the safety
of his or her finished compost, the compost can be used for
ornamental plants and flowers, for trees and bushes, or for
food crops where the compost will not come into contact with
the food and where the handling of the compost will be minimized.
Another alternative is to simply allow an additional year
of retention time for the compost. Allowing additional retention
time requires no energy and only a small amount of space.
The additional retention time contributes to the overall
safety of the finished compost when the compost quality is
in question (such as when the humanure has been collected
from a population that suffers from confirmed diseases).
Therefore, if the compost does not seem “finished” after
a year of collection and a year of retention, allow it to
age another year. The additional year of retention time will
allow it to complete the miraculous transformation from toxic
waste to beneficial compost.
A healthy household that composts its own humanure does not
need to be overly concerned about the safety of the finished
compost if the instructions in this manual are carefully
followed. On the contrary, by composting humanure rather
than disposing of it into the environment, long-term public
health and safety conditions should be improved, the environment
should be protected, and the finished compost should provide
a wealth of soil fertility for the composting family. [Have
questions? Go to our message
board.]
Building a Humanure Toilet
The humanure compost toilet is only one part of a three part
compost toilet system. Those three parts include the toilet,
the cover material and the compost bin(s). All three are
necessary for the humanure compost toilet system to work
properly.
The humanure toilet is a collection device. In order to prevent
environmental pollution caused by humanure and in order to
compost humanure, it must be collected before it comes into
contact with the natural environment. It is therefore collected
in a waterproof container for the purpose of depositing it
into a contained composting environment. No composting occurs
in the toilet itself.
The toilet collection receptacle should be approximately
20 liters in capacity because this size container can be
easily moved by one person when full. If a container of this
size is too heavy for one person when full (for example,
when moved by a small, elderly person), then the receptacle
can be carried and emptied before it is full.
Some compost toilet systems locate the toilet directly above
the compost pile and eliminate the portable toilet receptacle.
However, this is difficult to do indoors without a long-term
odor problem and it is considerably more complicated and
expensive than the humanure toilet discussed in these instructions.
Therefore, such a system is not the subject of this manual.
The toilet can be enclosed in a moveable
box-like structure,
or it can be permanently built into a toilet cabinet for
stability and aesthetics. As stated earlier, four receptacles
should be used with the toilet and more if the population
served by the toilet is greater than four people. Or, for
every person who regularly uses the toilet, there should
be a toilet receptacle available for use. For an average
family of four people, this means four receptacles. The toilet
box or cabinet is built to fit the toilet receptacle, which
is why it is important to have the receptacles on hand when
the toilet is built. Twenty liter (5 gallon) receptacles
come in all sizes and shapes. If the toilet is built to fit
one particular receptacle, that does not mean it will fit
a different receptacle. If a replacement receptacle is two
centimeters higher than the original receptacle, for example,
then the toilet seat will not go down flat. So begin the
toilet construction by first acquiring a minimum of four
toilet receptacles, with lids, that are exactly the same
size and shape.
Next, build the box or cabinet. A box creates a moveable
toilet and a cabinet is permanently built into a wall. The
most convenient form of box or cabinet is one with a hinged
lid that allows for easy removal of the compost receptacle.
There are a few simple rules to follow when building a toilet
box or cabinet. First, the top of the toilet receptacle should
nearly come in contact with the bottom of the toilet seat
ring. Therefore, the height of the toilet box is critical
and the box has to be built to fit the height of the particular
container that you have acquired. Secondly, the front edge
of the toilet seat ring should line up with the front edge
of the toilet box. These two design elements are important
because of human anatomy. If the toilet receptacle does not
come nearly into contact with the underside of the toilet
ring, then urine can be ejected above the toilet receptacle,
especially by young boys while defecating. If the toilet
seat ring is situated too far back from the front of the
toilet box, then urine can be inadvertently deposited on
top of the front of the box, thereby causing it to deteriorate
prematurely. For a good, solid, long-term toilet, the top
board should be a single piece of wood, such as a piece of
exterior plywood. This wood should be painted, varnished,
or otherwise sealed for long-term performance and for easy
cleaning. The side pieces can be wood, new or salvaged, of
various sizes depending on availability and personal preference.
The length of the legs is what determines the height of the
box. Illustrated instructions on how to build a humanure
compost toilet box are included in this instruction manual.
Examples of
humanure compost toilets are also included.
Acquiring the Cover Materials
Without proper cover materials in adequate quantities, the
humanure compost toilet will not work properly. An individual
family can usually find such cover materials by locating
local sawmills or sawdust piles, purchasing peat moss, hay
or straw, or scavenging materials from the local environment
such as leaves, grasses and weeds.
A community-wide humanure compost toilet program, however,
requires the cooperation and participation of the local government
and local businesses. When large quantities of cover materials
are needed for large numbers of village composters, a survey
of available compostable cover materials should be conducted
before the compost toilet system is adopted on a large scale.
This survey would include all local business, such as manufacturing
operations where organic materials are used (wool, wood,
paper, food, etc.), logging and lumber operations, and agricultural
operations. It is likely that significant quantities of compostable
materials are going to waste or are being landfilled that
could instead be diverted into a compost recycling stream.
These materials must be located, assessed for composting
suitability, and transported to the village areas where humanure
compost toilets are to be utilized. This approach would not
only provide cover materials that would enable the use of
safe and constructive biological toilets, but it would also
help to eliminate waste in the local manufacturing community.
In areas of the world where composting has been underutilized
or non-existent, pilot projects should be set up with prototype
toilets that use different local cover materials or combinations
of cover materials and the results scientifically monitored
to determine which materials make the best compost. Furthermore,
in drier climates where the compost may need to be watered
with graywater, prototype toilet systems can be monitored
that apply different amounts of graywater to the compost
piles, and again data can be collected to help determine
the amount of wetting that may or may not be required.
In any case, cover materials should not be too wet, such
as a sludge, and they should have a basic carbon content
such as cellulose materials from plant sources. Animal manures,
if somewhat dry (as collected with animal bedding) can make
excellent composting materials and can perhaps be suitable
cover materials if odor is not a problem. Other materials
from animal sources may also be suitable for composting.
Again, the simple rule when using cover materials is if the
material that is covered smells bad, it needs more cover
material. Cover until there is no unpleasant odor (providing
the cover material itself does not have unpleasant odor).
How To Build a Compost Bin
The simplest compost
bin would be a single bin of a maximum
1.5 meters square and 1 to 1.5 meters high with an open
top and one side removable. The open side should be closed
off to animal access. This can be achieved by using removable
boards or even bales of hay or straw to close the open
side. The open side covering can be raised as the level
of the compost rises, in order to hold the compost into
the bin. If the top of the compost is accessible to chickens,
dogs, etc., it should also be covered. A simple wire cover
will prevent the compost from being disturbed by animals
and it is easily removable when adding compost to the pile.
The compost bin itself can be built from scrap wood boards,
wire mesh, bales of hay or straw, other recycled materials,
or even masonry materials.
A humanure compost toilet system can be used in the same
location for generations. Therefore, the most serious composters
will construct a permanent bin. A minimum three bin system
is recommended. One bin is filled for a one year period,
then it is left to age. Another bin is filled for one year
as the first bin ages. The first bin is gradually emptied
as the second bin nears filling. By the time the second bin
is full, the first bin is empty again and the cycle starts
all over. The third bin, which would be the center bin, is
used to store cover materials. This bin should be covered
in order to keep the cover material dry in the winter months
so the material won’t freeze. A roof over the center
bin can also be used for rain water collection, with the
water being conveniently used for cleaning compost toilet
receptacles. A rain water collection system, however, must
be drained during freezing weather.
The bins should be constructed on a slightly concave soil
base so leachate, if any, will be contained. The soil base
also acts as a conduit for soil organisms to enter the compost.
When scrap lumber is used for the sides of the compost bins,
the lumber will eventually rot. When this happens, the lumber
should simply be replaced. Do not use lumber that is treated
with chemicals for the compost bins. The object of the bins
is to provide a suitable home for compost microorganisms.
Toxic chemicals do not suit that objective.
Compost Toilet Collection for Centralized Composting
An alternative to individual “backyard” humanure
composting is centralized composting at a compost facility
operated by either a government agency or by a private enterprise.
In such as scenario, the humanure toilet receptacles, full
and covered with tight-fitting lids, are collected from homes
and even apartments, perhaps weekly, and taken to a central
composting facility. In return for the collected toilet material,
which contains valuable soil nutrients, the home resident
is provided with cover materials for use in their toilet
and with clean toilet receptacles. This scenario would appeal
to those people who want to use an indoor, environmentally
friendly, biological toilet, but have no use for the compost,
or no place for a compost bin.
Compost Monitoring by Government Agencies
When humanure compost toilet systems are employed on a large
scale in villages, it may be advisable for the local health
department, the local agricultural department and even local
universities to provide assistance. This can be done by monitoring
the compost-making process to determine best practices (which
cover materials work best, how much gray water is required
to water the compost, if any, etc.), to analyze finished
compost samples for the existence of pathogens, and to conduct
analyses of the finished compost to determine its agricultural
value.
Compost Toilet Training Programs
When humanure toilet compost systems are being employed by
individuals on a large scale in a village setting, it is
important that the individuals undertake a training program
prior to starting their composting systems. This training
program should include being required to read and understand
a manual such as this one, being required to watch an instructional
video showing a successful existing humanure compost system
in operation, and attending a toilet building workshop, a
compost bin building workshop, or a compost usage workshop.
These training programs could be conducted by local NGOs,
local government agencies, or by local private enterprise.
Opportunity for Cottage Industries
When valuable materials are discarded as waste, they create
a drain on the revenues of society. When valuable materials
are recycled, they allow us to reclaim wealth. The recycling
of humanure on a large scale can create small businesses.
These could include toilet making businesses, compost bin
construction and erection businesses, and compost-making
businesses. The finished compost can enhance local agricultural
production. The finished compost can also be a saleable material.
Therefore, humanure compost toilet systems can provide an
opportunity for the creation of new, small businesses.
For more information, see The
Humanure Handbook, by Joseph Jenkins
