Compostable toilets are gaining popularity as people in the world are becoming more environmentally conscious and looking for more sustainable ways to live. Compostable toilets can drastically reduce households waste and water usage and contribute to a more eco-friendly life.
Composting toilets are often viewed negatively as dirty, stinking and labour intensive. But they have an undeserved bad reputation! Many people are averse to getting a composting toilet as they are not sure how wipes and toilet paper will work with them.
In this article, we will go over some of the most commonly asked questions regarding wipes and toilet paper in regard to composting and compostable toilets.
Can You Put Flushable Wipes in a Composting Toilet?
If your flushable wipes are completely biodegradable then yes they can be put in a composting toilet.
The purpose of flushable wipes was to be made of natural ingredients that would be biodegradable when flushed down the toilet. Regular wipes are made of plastic and don’t naturally break down so when flushed in a toilet they would cause blockages in the pipes.
Flushable wipes should compost just fine in your composting toilet if they are made of 100% natural ingredients. Look for wipes labelled as compostable.
Can wet wipes go in the compost?
A majority of wet wipes on the market contain synthetic ingredients including microplastics. This means they can’t go in the compost as they will not break down.
If your wet wipes are made of 100% natural ingredients then they can be put in the compost. This depends on what you use them to clean up. If they are used to clean up human waste then you shouldn’t put them in your compost and they can introduce harmful bacteria to your compost.
Are flushable wipes eco friendly?
Many flushable wipes on the market are not eco-friendly. They have been designed to break down smaller as not to cause blockages but many still contain synthetic ingredients that will never completely break down. They may even be worse than regular wipes as they break into harmful microplastics sooner than regular wipes.
Many companies will advertise themselves as eco-friendly even if that isn’t true. As a consumer you should make sure you do you research on exactly what companies claims mean, what makes a product “eco-friendly” and different types of ingredients used in products so that you can make informed choices of the products you buy and reduce your environmental impact!
Can flushable wipes go in the backyard compost?
Flushable wipes can only go in the backyard compost if they are completely biodegradable. This means they need to be made of 100% natural ingredients. Many flushable wipes still contain synthetic properties and will not be compostable. You should only compost compostable wipes if the mess they have used to clean is also compostable!
What is the best flushable wipe to use in a composting toilet?
The best flushable wipes to use in a composting toilet is those that are completely natural, biodegradable and compostable. Do your research about brands to ensure they are transparent and honest about the ingredients used in their products.
Why should you not flush wet wipes in a composting toilet?
Wet wipes should not be flushed into a composting toilet as they will not compost at all due to their make-up being highly synthetic. The chemicals in wet wipes can also interfere with the natural composting process of a composting toilet. Without the ability to break down wet wipes can clog up the piping of your composting toilet and make for a messy job unclogging.
How long do flushable wipes take to decompose in a compost pile?
Regular flushable wipes will not fully decompose in a compost pile due to synthetic ingredients, but with the right conditions they may break down slightly in a few weeks. Flushable and compostable wipes take on average 6 weeks to decompose in a compost pile but it may be longer depending on the specific conditions of your compost pile.
What can I use instead of toilet wipes in a composting toilet?
You don’t need to figure out what kind of toilet wipes you should be used in a composting toilet, because you can just use regular toilet paper! Toilet paper will break down easily in a composting toilet. To be more eco friendly you can choose recycled, ink-free and scent-free toilet paper.
Recycled toilet paper also breaks down a lot faster than “virgin” paper as its bonds are weaker. The ply rating of your toilet tissue will also determine the speed at which it composts in the toilet.
If you want to reduce the rate at which your composting toilet fills up you can not use any toilet paper as this adds to the solid waste. You may opt to use something a little less conventional such as a bidet!
Does the toilet paper go in the composting toilet?
Yes! Toilet paper is perfectly fine to be put into the composting toilet. You don’t need to use any special kinds of toilet paper. Even though regular toilet paper is bleached to get the perfect white look, the bleach concentrate is in low enough amounts that it won’t disrupt the balance of microbes in a composting toilet.
The best toilet paper for a composting toilet is one that is rated as for RV/Marine. These toilet papers are designed for use in RVs or boats so they break down faster, they will do a lot better in a composting toilet than regular toilet paper.
Where does the toilet paper go in a composting toilet?
Toilet paper put into a composting toilet breaks down and is separated from water waster to solid matter. The solid matter interacts with microbes in the toilet that support the composting process until everything is fully composted, then it can be used as regular compost in the garden.
At the end of the process, the toilet paper will have complete biodegraded and become unrecognizable.