Composting toilet: rules, regulations, and "real life" use etc.?

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Sort of true but then you have to worry about the indecent exposure ticket.

only in the USA and only if the water cop really needs to give you a ticket.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by jkleins

So what do you do with the urine bucket at anchor? Do you have a "holding tank" for it?

Hi Jim, at anchor the urine goes over the side. I have two containers for my Nature’s Head. Nice to be able to quickly swap out.

mikedefieslife: Some people have done this; connected the urine hose to a standard holding tank. Seems unnecessary to me, and erases one of the benefits of these heads, but it can and has been done.

[CGirvan]

Originally Posted by Copacabana

Some people have plumbed the urine to their old holding tank.

If this is done does the unit still conform as a non discharge head?

Does the pee only holding tank have to be emptied in the traditional way ie pumpout or 3 mile limit?

I'm tempted to go this route to simplify emptying the pee container but don't want to have trouble with the coastguard.

As far as the fly issue goes we add a cup of diatomaceous earth to the mix, seems to work well.

[Copacabana]

Originally Posted by CGirvan

If this is done does the unit still conform as a non discharge head?

Does the pee only holding tank have to be emptied in the traditional way ie pumpout or 3 mile limit?

I'm tempted to go this route to simplify emptying the pee container but don't want to have trouble with the coastguard.

As far as the fly issue goes we add a cup of diatomaceous earth to the mix, seems to work well.

I don't live in the US, nor am I familiar with US regulations, but I can't see the difference between storing urine in the jug or a tank.

I would imagine you would have to legally dispose of the urine the same way, whether in a jug or tank. The advantage of the jug is that it gives you the option of carrying it to shore to dump in a toilet.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by CGirvan

If this is done does the unit still conform as a non discharge head?

Does the pee only holding tank have to be emptied in the traditional way ie pumpout or 3 mile limit?

I'm tempted to go this route to simplify emptying the pee container but don't want to have trouble with the coastguard.

As far as the fly issue goes we add a cup of diatomaceous earth to the mix, seems to work well.

I would just recommend a second portable urine tank and recover the stowage space formerly occupied by the sewage holding tank.

[somanyboats]

I have a composting toilet in my boat. Love it
Had a composting toilet in my shop, did not like it.

The difference was the head in the boat separated the urine, the other did not.
Urine makes things smelly.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by somanyboats

I have a composting toilet in my boat. Love it
Had a composting toilet in my shop, did not like it.

The difference was the head in the boat separated the urine, the other did not.
Urine makes things smelly.

bingo
Also adding a teaspoon of sugar to a 1 gallon urine tank will eliminate the smell there to

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by somanyboats

I have a composting toilet in my boat. Love it
Had a composting toilet in my shop, did not like it.

The difference was the head in the boat separated the urine, the other did not.
Urine makes things smelly.

The non-seperator types are quite common on land. One big maker is Sun-Mar. They even make a version aimed at boats/RVs.

Excel Composting Toilet by Sun-Mar

Anyone use one of these? When I first looked into composting heads I really wanted one, but the size and the energy demands turned me off.

Later on I got to know a fellow sailor who installed one of these on his 38-footer. After a couple of seasons he swapped it out for a Nature’s Head. I never got the full details as to why, but he said the NH was far superior.

[Simply Sailing]

Originally Posted by Cowpoke

My only complaint with the Air Head is the poor design of the agitator as it only stirs the center part of the medium and results in a great deal of the coca peat not being used at all. It also leaves a sizable area on the floor untouched.
Emptying the head hasn't been so straightforward for us as others have related. Simply due to the agitator not siring the entire medium and allowing the unused medium to pack in the corners. Even though we have to dig the corners out, there has been no foul odor at all. Maybe a light musty smell but nothing objectionable.

What you mentioned as a "poor design" is actually intentional. The stirring mechanism does not reach the bottom of the solids container for two reasons. First, it leaves, as you mentioned, a small amount of "untouched" medium, hopefully coco coir or some other recommended medium. This serves as a last minute "back up" should you somehow overpower the unit (with a situation like mentioned above). The small amount of coir left in the bottom gives some more absorption if the moisture level gets too high. The second reason is that the stirring mechanism will occasionally get "stuck" if it encounters medium too close to the bottom. In other words, if it tried to give a "clean sweep" of all medium off the bottom there is a good chance it would get a piece stuck between the bottom and stirrer. Keeping the stirrer slightly lifted off the bottom prevents this from happening. After 20 years of ownership and redesigning by the original designer, I think they've had time to pretty well try all configurations. This one is the one that works the best.

You mentioned that this "extra" dry medium makes emptying "less than straightforward." It may help to know that is is not necessary to completely empty ALL of that medium out of the bottom. It has a purpose, it's not "used," it's probably got some good bacteria in it already, so just leave it. Empty what comes out when you invert the unit, leave the small amount "stuck in the corners" for use next time. There's no reason to fight with it to get it out.

We are fulltime users of an Air Head for 8 years.

[Simply Sailing]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

At some point perhaps someone will make a CH with a standard pump and normal sized holding tank for the urine.

The Air Head has an option of a plumbing fitting welded onto the liquids container that allows you to drain the liquids straight into an existing holding tank. Sort of an in-between option that suits a lot of people.

[CGirvan]

Originally Posted by Copacabana

I would imagine you would have to legally dispose of the urine the same way, whether in a jug or tank. The advantage of the jug is that it gives you the option of carrying it to shore to dump in a toilet.

The Coastguard accepts composting toilets it seems without question, assuming I guess that you will empty the pee jug ashore or 3 miles out. In actuality I think most users just treat it like peeing over the side as it's basically sterile.

The question is if you divert the pee to a small holding tank then pump it overboard is the coastquard likely to put a security wire tie on the through hull while in harbour.

[denverd0n]

THEY won't put the wire tie on it. They will want YOU to have put the wire tie on it already. And if you haven't, then they will be happy to issue you a fine.

Yeah, I expect most users just wait until an inconspicuous moment and dump their pee-jug over the side. This is completely harmless to the eco-system, but it is still illegal.

I have said it before, and I will say it again... It is absolutely absurd that I can pee over the side of the boat and not violate any marine sanitation laws, but if I pee into a cup and dump that over the side then I AM in violation of marine sanitation laws. Madness!

[CGirvan]

I don't want to get into any situation where I might get fined. So I guess I'll stick with the jug. How do people that have installed the diverter deal with this?

[Jim Cate]

Something I've always wondered about: with on board treatment systems (like Electrosan), the effluent is said to be reduced to some number of coliform bacteria per mL, and if it is low enough, it is ok to pump overboard. In practice, this effluent must contain some urine.

Urine has zero coliform bacteria, so why is it not ok to pump it out in any place other than a no discharge zone? As others have said, the environmental impact is pretty low (a minuscule BOD increment, I think) so what's the big deal?

Jim

[senormechanico]

Jim,
It's because the laws are made by people without a clue, but with political and financial agendas.
Plain and simple.