Toilet paper and head clog

[Steve Bean]

In cities that prohibit fecal matter in trash cans, what do people do with dirty disposable diapers?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Steve Bean

In cities that prohibit fecal matter in trash cans, what do people do with dirty disposable diapers?

Or dog and cat poo? In our city located in The People's Republic of Taxatussetts, our garbage men have been known to sort out the cat litter from our trash and leave it bagged on the sidewalk... for my wife to better disguise it for the next weeks pick up.

[Simply Sailing]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I've been wondering what folks with composting toilets do with "it" as well, and I don't mean just the TP

If we're offshore we dump the solids container overboard. But since we only have to worry about it once every 4-6 weeks, it's really not much of an issue. And in some places it is legal to put it in a dumpster. There are also many composting toilets in national and state parks where you can empty your container. Unless you have a REALLY big holding tank, most boats can't handle 6 weeks of fulltime use for two people without having to find a pump out (which are basically non-existent in the Caribbean and many other parts of the world) so at least we don't have to deal with it as often.

[TrentePieds]

In this neckathewoods they who must always be obeyed furnish PIT LOOs in a great number of picnic and camp sites. It is a fact universally acknowledged that all manner of organisms consider the contents a delicacy, and that the "one holer" is in many circumstances an environmentally sound device.

The problem, beyond a certain critical mass, becomes oxygen demand. In consequence, moving the loo to a new location every three of four years not only circumvents that problem but helps to fertilize the campground, or whatever, uniformly over time.

We yotties, unless we have extraordinary appetites, are never going to present Mother Nature with any kind of critical mass of poop the would deplete the oxygen in the area near our boats. Nevertheless, given the North American poop-intolerance, but much to the chagrin of sundry marine creatures, good manners militate against dumping and pumping in marinas and coves.

By contrast, our provincial capital, Victoria, cleaving still to its victorian ways of doing things, discharges her sewage into the Straits of Juan deFuca. Something on the order of 28 MILLION US gallons PER DAY. Now THAT has an impact on the marine environment, and even Seattle is justified in complaining bitterly about it. It's not just Seattle and the US EPA that complains. It's our own Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Unfortunately, sewage treatment is municipal responsibility. DFO is a federal agency. Never the twain shall meet!

TrentePieds

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by AD28

what is hilarious is to see some of these replies stating how 'gross' it is to bag TP, yet these same people apparently see nothing nasty in carrying around a tank full of fecal and urinary slurry...

What a strange thing to say

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

In this neckathewoods they who must always be obeyed furnish PIT LOOs in a great number of picnic and camp sites. It is a fact universally acknowledged that all manner of organisms consider the contents a delicacy, and that the "one holer" is in many circumstances an environmentally sound device.

The problem, beyond a certain critical mass, becomes oxygen demand. In consequence, moving the loo to a new location every three of four years not only circumvents that problem but helps to fertilize the campground, or whatever, uniformly over time.

We yotties, unless we have extraordinary appetites, are never going to present Mother Nature with any kind of critical mass of poop the would deplete the oxygen in the area near our boats. Nevertheless, given the North American poop-intolerance, but much to the chagrin of sundry marine creatures, good manners militate against dumping and pumping in marinas and coves.

By contrast, our provincial capital, Victoria, cleaving still to its victorian ways of doing things, discharges her sewage into the Straits of Juan deFuca. Something on the order of 28 MILLION US gallons PER DAY. Now THAT has an impact on the marine environment, and even Seattle is justified in complaining bitterly about it. It's not just Seattle and the US EPA that complains. It's our own Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Unfortunately, sewage treatment is municipal responsibility. DFO is a federal agency. Never the twain shall meet!

TrentePieds

'Pit' toilets in our Parks are banned for the very opposite reason. They are considered neither environmentally positive or healthy. Pit toilets leak into water catchment area's which then can harm that environment and flies which are commonly seen around pit toilets here spread sickness.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Simply Sailing

If we're offshore we dump the solids container overboard. But since we only have to worry about it once every 4-6 weeks, it's really not much of an issue. And in some places it is legal to put it in a dumpster. There are also many composting toilets in national and state parks where you can empty your container. Unless you have a REALLY big holding tank, most boats can't handle 6 weeks of fulltime use for two people without having to find a pump out (which are basically non-existent in the Caribbean and many other parts of the world) so at least we don't have to deal with it as often.

If you dump it at sea what is the point of having a compost toilet

I thought the whole idea of having such a toilet was so that you didn't put things in the ocean if not, what is the purpose?

now don't take offence, I'm asking a genuine question. I've missed something in other discussions on compost toilets.

Having said that, it would have been handy recently where I spent a week in a Marina where I had to pump out every couple of days.

[44'cruisingcat]

For us, what has worked perfectly for 6 years full-time liveaboard is simple. Flush the toilet a LOT! You'll never block it with water!


Flush it after ever solid deposit. Then flush it again after wiping. Flush it plenty! Get all the poo and paper out of the plumbing.


This approach has almost eliminated calcium deposits in our plumbing too.


We use the same type of paper we used at home too. 2 ply or even 3 ply.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Or dog and cat poo? In our city located in The People's Republic of Taxatussetts, our garbage men have been known to sort out the cat litter from our trash and leave it bagged on the sidewalk... for my wife to better disguise it for the next weeks pick up.

Garbage collectors who rummage through your garbage? Time to run away to sea!

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Garbage collectors who rummage through your garbage? Time to run away to sea!

Yes I know, it's difficult to believe. But they actually doo go through our trash for doo and yard waste, and pick out every little bit.... if they can find it.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

If you dump it at sea what is the point of having a compost toilet

I thought the whole idea of having such a toilet was so that you didn't put things in the ocean if not, what is the purpose?

now don't take offence, I'm asking a genuine question. I've missed something in other discussions on compost toilets.

Having said that, it would have been handy recently where I spent a week in a Marina where I had to pump out every couple of days.

No problem with dumping it well offshore, its the people dumping their holding tanks (or direct flush toilets) into the bay I am swimming in that pisses me off.

Finding pumpouts is the issue around aussie at the moment. You are lucky the marina even had one!

[Aussiesuede]

A picture is worth a thousand words:



Cheaper and cleaner than toilet paper. And unlike TP, once you've gotten rid of the 85%, you're not just rearranging fecal matter around your bung.

[TrentePieds]

Quote: "Pit' toilets in our Parks are banned for the very opposite reason. They are considered neither environmentally positive or healthy. Pit toilets leak into water catchment area's which then can harm that environment and flies which are commonly seen around pit toilets here spread sickness".

From what I understand VAST areas of Oz are quite barren. Under-fertilized, no doubt ;-0)!

Prolly the fact that here in Beastly Columbia the coastal areas are temperate rain forest conduces to the use and efficacy of pit loos. Organic matter doesn't last long under the influence of the vigorous micro-fauna we are blessed with.

Flies and such are not generally a problem, but I suspect the Parks Service cheats a bit. And old trick for "settling down" the out-house where I come from is to heave in a coupla scoops of quicklime now and then. That, of course, knocks ALL microscopic and insect life for a loop, and it also helps to break down the fecal matter. Just don't get splashed :-)!

Here in our little bedroom burgh - 5K souls - we have a plant that treats the black-water flowing from the Middle Class by such simple means. Then we combine the flocculated stuff with sundry agricultural (vegetable) waste materials and let it age, sort of like a good claret. Then we sell the resulting compost by the 20Kg bag to keen gardeners. The treated water goes down the Mighty Muddy Fraser. You can, sez the superintending hengineer, drink it. I'll confess I haven't tried :-)

Sláinte mhaith

TrentePieds

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Or dog and cat poo? In our city located in The People's Republic of Taxatussetts, our garbage men have been known to sort out the cat litter from our trash and leave it bagged on the sidewalk... for my wife to better disguise it for the next weeks pick up.

That exact thing happened to me many years ago. I even got a letter from the city threatening to stop picking up my trash. I just started dumping it in a low spot behind the garage. Eventually, it became a high spot.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Steve Bean

In cities that prohibit fecal matter in trash cans, what do people do with dirty disposable diapers?

I have never used them, but first, I would look for instructions on the package and next, I would contact the city and ask them what to do with them.

Of course you can put the poop down the toilet. Probably not the diapers though.