Composting toilets is a great way to reduce your environmental impact while also saving money on your water bills. However, many people are unsure of how often they need to empty the composting bin in their toilet.
In this blog post, we will explore the answer to that question and provide some tips on how to make emptying your composting toilet as simple and easy as possible.
How Often Do You Need to Empty a Composting Toilet?
This is a great question, and it depends on the size of your composting toilet unit. Small units will need to be emptied every 3 weeks or so, while larger units can usually go for up to a year before they need to be emptied.
Of course, it also depends on how often the toilet is used – if you have a big family or lots of guests over, you may need to empty your composting toilet more frequently than if you only use it occasionally.
Again, it all comes down to size when it comes Emptyin’! But in general, once every 3 weeks for small units and once a year for large ones should do the trick.
How the Size of Your Household Affects how Often You Empty Your Composting Toilet
Household size affects how often you need to empty your composting toilet. The base rule of thumb is that 2 full-time users require emptying small self-contained toilets (or rotating the chambers) once every 3 weeks.
For larger continuous batch units (split/central systems) they’ll only need to be emptied once every 6 months to a year for a full-time family of 4.
Larger families generally require larger units as you can’t always speed up the process safely and still kill all pathogens and break down the waste so you can use it.
What Do You Do with Your Composting Toilet if You Plan to Have a Party?
If you plan to throw a party you’ll want to make sure all chambers of your self-contained composting toilet are empty and ready to go. For larger central units they should be only half full or less.
Even then there’s a limit to how much waste both can take. For a large party of say 20 people, you’ll likely want to rent one or two portable toilets (i.e. construction toilets) to handle the extra waste.
What if You Need to Empty a Toilet Early Because You Have a Party?
If your composting toilet fills up before it’s had time to decompose then there are a few things you can do. You can remove the solid waste and send it down a nearby sewer (not fun!).
You can also build a simple large-scale composter in the backyard with 4 pallets and compost it there. To do that simply nail the 4 pallets together to make a large chamber.
Then fill it halfway with leaves or similar dry-carbon airy materials. You can add the toilet waste there then cover it again with sawdust and leaves.
Then leave it to compost for at least a year before using it in your garden.
In general, it’s better (and less nasty) to prepare in advance for parties by emptying the composting toilet early or renting a porta-potty.
Tips to Make Emptying Your Compost Toilet Easy
Whether you have a small self-contained unit or a large central system, there are a few things you can do to make emptying your compost toilet as easy as possible.
- First, make sure you have the right tools for the job. A small shovel and a bucket will do the trick for most self-contained units. For larger central systems, you may need a wheelbarrow.
- Second, be aware of your local regulations regarding the disposal of human waste. In some areas, it is illegal to dispose of human waste in the sewer system. In other areas, there may be specific regulations regarding the proper disposal of human waste.
- Third, if you have a self-contained unit, empty the oldest, most decomposed chamber first.
- If you have a central system, simply empty it per the instructions. Again, these systems can go the longest between emptyings.
How Often Do You Need to Empty a Nature’s Head Composting Toilet?
The general rule of thumb is to empty a Nature’s Head composting toilet every 3 weeks for 2 full-time adults. However, if more people are using the toilet, it needs to be emptied more often to keep the waste bin from filling up. It’s important to remember not to overload the bin, as this will decrease the effectiveness of the composting process.
If it’s only used on the weekends you can go up to 2 months between emptying batches.
How Often Do You Need to Empty a Sun-Mar Self-Contained Composting Toilet?
For best results, you should remove compost from your Sun-Mar self-contained composting toilet’s biodrum once per month for continuous use, or once per season if you’re using it less frequently.
How Often Do You Need to Empty a Sun-Mar Centrex Composting Toilet?
Centrex systems use the same biodrum technology as Sun-mar’s self-contained toilets. They also should be emptied once per month for continuous use, or once per season if they’re used less frequently.
How Often Do You Need to Empty a Clivus Multrum Composting Toilet?
You should empty your Clivus Multrum composting toilet once every 1-2 months. This will depend on how many people are using the toilet and how often they use it. If the toilet is being used heavily, you may need to empty it more frequently.
What Factors Increase how Often You Have to Empty a Composting Toilet?
The main factor that determines how often you have to dump a composting toilet is the size of the unit. If you have a large family or intend to use the toilet for extended periods, you will need a larger unit.
Other factors that can impact frequency are parties and climate. If you have a lot of people over, you will need to empty the unit more often.
In hot climates, the composting process will happen more quickly which allows you to empty it more frequently but isn’t required.
In cold climates, the composting process will happen more slowly, so you may need to empty it less frequently but it also may fill making it unusable for a time.
How Can You Extend the Time Between When You Need to Empty the Toilet?
There are a few things you can do to extend the time between when you need to empty your composting toilet.
- buy a bigger unit
- add products to speed up decomposition (make sure they are compliant with your unit)
- rent a portable toilet for special occasions
- don’t add pet waste or food products (do those separately outside)
What Do You Do With The Finished Compost?
The great thing about composting toilets is that they produce a valuable product – compost! This can be used in gardens or potted plants to improve soil quality.
What Do You Do With The Liquid Waste?
While the solid waste is being composted, the liquid waste is collected in a separate chamber. This liquid, called leachate, can be used as a fertilizer for lawns and gardens. It is important to dilute this before using it, as it can be very concentrated.
Conclusion
In conclusion, composting toilets should be emptied every 1-2 months, depending on the size of the unit and how often it is used. The finished compost can be used in gardens or potted plants, and the liquid waste can be diluted and used as a fertilizer.
