Composting Toilets And Beyond!

Published on Sunday September 09 2007

The composting loo was the big feature of Penarth Woodcraft Folk's second annual camp in Monmouthshire. The very same composting toilet has since featured on BBC3’s new eco programme, Outrageous Wasters. With the help of a WCVA Enfys Grant, Penarth Woodcraft Folk designed and built a fully functioning composting toilet that is now part of this new “green” BBC programme.

Both the children and adult helpers found the toilet easy to build. It consists of a two-roomed shed set into the hill slope, in which we cut two round holes in the floor. We then made a bench seat in which we inserted a large drainage pipe, placing an attractive wooden toilet seat on top. At the bottom of the drainage tube we used a central heating system header tank to collect and store the waste. At the back of the toilet we made an access flap for cleaning.

The children were very happy to use the toilet although they had to be encouraged to only do No.2’s in it and sprinkle some earth and/or sawdust over the “deposit”. As the shed is built on a slope the collection tank was actually quite a long way down so we couldn’t see the bottom in the dark. However the fact that the toilet seat was integral to the bench meant that the children didn’t worry that they might fall down as it felt very solid.

We also used a standard pit for the boys to wee in and an Elsan for the girls.

The solid waste needs to be left for a couple of years to biodegrade; it is helpful if a little soil is added to add micro bacteria which will help with the decomposition. Then it has no smell and can be used around trees or shrubs. It is not recommended to use it on edible crops in case of parasites or viruses, although in most of the developing world “night soil” is essential for keeping soil fertility.

Fantastic weather plus a beautiful location helped make the second Penarth Woodcraft camp, the culmination of the “Learning Through the Land Project”, a wonderful experience. Tucked away in the remote hills of Monmouthshire Elfins and Pioneers learnt camping skills such as cooking on wood fires, shelter building, nature tracking and spotting skills plus just spending time running around playing and enjoying the outdoors, made it a project to definitely remember.

The project had started during Woodcraft Folk group nights where the young people, aged between 4 and 13 years learnt about their environment, how to avoid waste, recycling and observing and learning about nature. This was done through recycling activities, nature walks and beachcombing plus games and discussions. Their increased awareness and understanding of reusing and recycling is noticeable and we have encouraged them to discuss this at home too and get their parents to recycle.

The project not only involved the young people but also encouraged the parents to get involved in the activities which will help the group to develop and ensure sustainability.

Megan Evans