permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>]

Robyn Francis wrote:

> I've had a composting urinal operating for the past 8 years using a medium
> sized garbage bin 2/3rds filled with sawdust or wood shavings which gets
> emptied onto a dedicated compost heap. The compost heap had a deep bed of
> dry straw down before the first urinal was emptied. To reduce odours we
> rinse out the bin after its been emptied and broadcast ag lime around the

Ag lime or wood ashes should never be used on a compost pile, which is what your composting urinal is. Ag lime goes on 
garden soil and only when pH correction is needed. You could, however, put a sprinkling of quarried rock dust into the 
container with the straw. Keeping the urinal from going anaerobic is important. I would think a perforated collection 
unit placed on or near (where it can flow into it) a compost pile. Build an outhouse that has a removable collection 
unit with straw in it and holes in the bottom. Sit it on top of a mix of compost, straw and rock dusts and make sure
hat drains away from the outhouse into a compost pile. It would never go anaerobic and you'd need to clean it less 
often. I'd build a conventional outhouse with wooden bench with holes and toilet seat. On the front wall I would have 
doors that could be opened to retreive the collection, pre-filtering, microbe-innoculation unit (some kind of plastic 
can or barrel). Rather than put ag lime in the container you should put finished compost containing microbes that will
feed on the uring and begin the composting process, to be finished later by the compost pile, which should be integrated 
with growng beds for a variety of plants, to use and recycle the nutrients and help with waste purification. This could 
involve cold weather perennial plants, herbs, shrubs, evergreen ground cover and trees. This would essentially become a 
modified constructed wetland. Further modification awith extended design features would enable this to become the 
household toilet. The Total Toilet (The Japanese developed a water saving, efficient, highly functional ceramic toilet
with the tradename ToTo, sold worldwide and cnsidered the best available for home and industrial use. That's the 
straight poop.

> sides and base of the container before refilling it with fresh dry
> shavings/sawdust. (Can also use wood ash instead of lime) Makes great
> compost. BTW most women can comfortably squat over the medium-sized bin
> without requiring a seat, the main issue is with use of toilet paper to dry
> the drips.