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All your questions shall be answered

We’ve been doing some housekeeping and have moved many of the manufacturer-specific FAQs to the bottom of the  associated manufacturer pages – click on the links below to see them!

General

Technically yes. Providing the composting process is thorough (time and/or heat), then it should be safe from pathogens. However, there are other factors which might make it better to use it as mulch around trees and shrubs. Find out more on our composting process page: https://www.waterlesstoilets.co.uk/composting-process/

Yes. Almost all types and makes of toilet paper are fine – they are typically made from wood pulp so will break down and compost over time, adding carbon into the mix. With a domestic toilet (ie not public or shared), you can place ‘wee-wipe’ toilet paper in a separate bin for later burning or binning. This will increase the overall capacity of your compost toilet.

Yes it is. In 2010, the Building Regulations for England were changed to permit composting toilets as part of a drive to reduce domestic water consumption. There may be planning and building regulations to navigate, but they are legal.

Our preferred method of dealing with the solids (faeces) from a compost toilet is always to compost them in a compost bin (see our page on composting) as they ‘close the loop’ and return valuable nutrients safely to the earth. However, there may be situations, such as in motor homes or boats, where it’s impossible to compost on the go or store anything for later composting at home or on land.

In these situations, you may be able to dispose of small amounts (under 7kg) in municipal waste bins or official council waste disposal sites (the waste will be classed as non-recyclable and is typically used in an energy recovery process) provided the contents are double-bagged and clearly labelled (you can buy ‘tiger bags’ for such a purpose). The contents are referred to as ‘offensive waste’ and come under the same waste classification as used nappies and adult incontinence pads.

If you’re on a canal or river, never discharge urine or faeces into the water (we hope that’s obvious!), and don’t use the bins provided by the CRT (Canals and River Trust) as they prohibit compost toilet disposal in their bins (it’s a long story…).

Whatever method you choose, always dispose of solid waste safely and responsibly