A common and understandable concern from potential users and owners of waterless and compost toilets is about whether they will smell. Remember that flushing toilets can also smell if they are misused, badly maintained or get blocked, but there seems to be a greater fear about waterless and compost toilets.
A well designed, correctly installed and maintained waterless toilet will not smell bad. At worst, it may have an ‘earthy’, natural aroma, but nothing to turn your nose up at!
However, some people may have memories of a smelly, horrible experience with ‘festival’ compost toilets from years ago – thankfully, none of WooWoo’s products should leave you with that feeling!
There are lots of different ways that you can manage the odours from a waterless toilet, and the best way will depend on several factors, including;
Some of our toilets actually facilitate composting within the toilet container. The presence of naturally-occuring bacteria together with other aspects of the composting process actively consume and transform the odour-causing excreta and reduce the odours.
Other toilets separate the liquid and solid excreta at the point of use, and ‘hold’ them until you are ready to transfer them to a compost bin or dispose of them by some other method. These toilets typically use a small electric fan to create a controlled airflow to remove residual odours away from the toilet.
With different techniques and methods, it could be confusing, but WooWoo are here to help! It’s a good idea to call or email one of the friendly experts here at WooWoo – we can ask you the right questions and help guide you through the choices to come up with the best solution for your site, taking all the aspects into account.
So let’s have a look at the various products we sell and the features they have to ensure they are odour-free and provide a pleasant experience for the user!
Both the Separett Villa and Separett Tiny use the principle of urine separation (sometimes referred to as urine-diversion) to provide the initial management of odours. This is achieved through a specially designed toilet bowl that prevents the urine and faeces from mixing.
By keeping the urine separate, the odour from the faeces and toilet paper is much reduced because you are not creating a slurry, and is therefore easier to deal with.
A well designed and efficient (low power) fan and ventilation system continuously draws air over the solids container and takes all remaining odours outside through the vent pipe. Once outside, they will quickly dissipate in the air. Opening the toilet lid will not expose the user to any odours.
Urine separating toilets are generally recommended in domestic and lower use situations where space is at a premium.
Further links for Separett products:
Separett Villa
Separett Tiny with Urine Extraction
Separett Tiny with Urine Container
The Air Head compost toilet is broadly similar to the Separett Villa and Tiny in that it uses a special design of bowl to enable urine separation which is a key aspect to odour control and elimination.
Unlike the Separett models, it also adds a carbon-based medium (usually cocoa coir, added at the start) in the solids container.
After each use, the user turns a handle on the side which mixes the solids deposits with the coir etc. This aerates the contents (which encourages good bacteria in, that will also reduce the odour), and coats everything in coir. A low powered fan gently draws residual odours out.
Further links for Air Head products:
Air Head with standard seat
Air Head with compact seat
The WooWoo GT is a batch composting toilet and differs from the previously discussed products (Separett and Air Head) in that it doesn’t separate the liquids and solids at the point of use. All the excreta, together with some carbon-rich cover material (such as wood shavings) goes into the same container.
It is a ‘proper’ composting toilet, in other words, the contents actually compost (transpose into a safe, non-odourous, and nutritious humus) within the container over time.
The container is designed to provide and sustain the ideal conditions for composting to take place, and once the composting bacteria (they are naturally in the air) take hold, the odour will be substantially reduced as the bacteria act as a bio-filter, going about their job consuming and transposing the contents.
A simple but effective liquid/moisture control is provided through the use of a special base that enables excess moisture to drain from the composting mass, or transfer moisture back up if the the mass is too dry.
Residual odours, along with excess moisture, are taken away by the wind-powered spinning vent (or optionally an electric fan if the unit is installed within a dwelling or in an area that lacks enough wind).
When the user lifts the toilet seat, the air will naturally flow down into the toilet and out of the ventilation pipe, ensuring the user is not exposed to any odours.
Further links to WooWoo GT products (note that the WooWoo GT can also be purchased with a cabin – known as the WooWoo Loo GT):
WooWoo GT
WooWoo GT LUX
WooWoo Loo GT Compact Cabin
WooWoo Loo GT Standard Cabin
WooWoo Loo GT Accessible Cabin
WooWoo Loo GT Double Cabin
The Ecoflo Alectura batch composting toilet works in a similar way to the WooWoo GT and comes as standard with a non-separating (drop through) porcelain pedestal and an electric (mains or 12v) ventilation fan.
The under floor collection chambers have a mixing system that is turned once a week from a handle on the outside. This aerates the contents which will then promote aerobic composting within the container, and as such, creates a biofilter that will reduce odours.
A leachate drain stops the composting mass getting too wet (which would increase the odour).
When the user lifts the toilet seat, air will be drawn down the toilet pan, over the chamber, and then out of the ventilation system, ensuring no odours escape into the toilet area.
Further links to the Alectura:
Alectura Premium (coming soon)
The Kazuba KL1 and KL2 only differ in the appearance of the outer building, but the working part is the same across the range and is known as the STK. The STK is sunk into the ground and comprises a high capacity tank with solids collection basket, urine evaporation plate and a large conical chimney with spinning wind vent on the top.
The elements of the Kazuba STK have been designed to promote an airflow in all weathers that draws air down the toilet pedestal, through the body of the STK and out of the chimney.
Using both the heat of the sun on the large, south-facing chimney, and the spinning wind vent, the airflow will assist in the evaporation of liquids both in the initial collection basket and on the evaporation plate. It will also have a drying effect on the solids and will ensure removal of all residual odours.
See how they work here on the Kazuba page.
Further links to the Kazuba:
Kazuba KL1
Kazuba KL2 Compact
Kazuba KL2 Accessible
The Bumper is a new transportable waterless toilet, developed by Kazuba. It’s transportable so can be relocated if needed to suit the location and changing needs.
As a waterless, chemical-free toilet, it initially controls odours by separating the urine from the faeces on a conveyor belt, located under the toilet pan (people can therefore use it like any other toilet).
Like the Kazuba STK system, the heat of the sun on the conical chimney, together with the wind vent, will create an effective flow of air, taking odours up, out and away, ensuring a pleasant visitor experience.
Further links to the Bumper:
Each type of waterless toilet we sell has taken a slightly different but equally effective route to ensure the toilets work well and are odour-free. The different approaches are matched to the capacity or expected use of the toilet, but all rely of some form of active ventilation and moisture/liquid management to ensure they deliver an odour-free experience to the user, whilst avoiding the use of water or chemicals.
Common odour control methods can include:
It’s important to understand that the odour control methods work as part of the overall design of the complete toilet system. This is achieved through a combination of extensive experience as well as thorough research and development.
When it comes to compost, composting and waterless toilets, there are some questions that very few people feel comfortable asking, but everyone wants to know
If you keep an eye on our website, you might have noticed a new product slip in recently – the Alectura Premium by Nature Loo.
Like a lot of things in life, the answer is “it depends”. So read on to find out more! In essence, there are two main
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