Cohousing-L Mailing List: Composting Toilets

[John Abrams (jabrams]

Buzz Burrell wrote:

>Composting Toliets are a big issue.  There is a huge range of models with
>very different designs, intended uses, and price ranges.

I'd like to expand a bit on Buzz's remarks.  Yes, big issue.  We have
installed and lived with many composting toilets.  We're currently in the
earliest construction phase of the Island Cohousing Project
 (16 homes + Common House + shop/office development on adjacent property).
All buildings will use composting toilets.  We have done some exhaustive
research and inquiries, and agree with Buzz that  Phoenix, Carousel, and
Clivus are the manufacturers who are making good products that can serve
real buildings well.  After looking at all the products that are available
in this country,we feel those threeare offering the most viable products
for other than vacation homes or very low demand uses. Buzz mentions
Sustainable Strategies as a good source for consulting.  They are, but they
are also one of the manufacturers (Carousel).

Carol Steinfeld is writing a book about composters, and recently wrote a
good article in the July/August 98 issue of Environmental Design and
Construction (201-291 9001, www.edcmag.com).   Environmental Building News
wrote a detailed review of the Phoenix in its June 98 issue ( 802-
257-7300, www.ebuild.com).

Composters work fine.  The real issue is this:  There are three potential
products that come from a house equipped with a composter:  1.  The solids
(which get composted by the composter);  2.  The liquid end product that
collects at the bottom of the composter; and 3. The greywater that comes
from dishwashing, clothes washing, showers, etc.  All have useful nutrients
and all become concentrated pollutants if just poured into the ground or a
sewer.  The key is to develop a system that deals well with all three.  So
a composter is only a part of a system.  Completing the system is a trick -
filled with biological, technical, and regulatory hurdles.   Different
states have different regulatory attitudes and hurdles.  Different sites
and different climates pose diverse challenges.  At this stage of the game
the composting part is far more coherent and worked out than the other two
aspects.  I would suggest that anyone who wants to take a systems approach
to this should choose one of the three companies mentioned (Sustainable
Strategies, David DelPorto, 978-369 9440, in Massachusetts;  Phoenix, Glen
Nelson, 406-862-3854, in Montana;  or Clivus Multrum USA, Don Mills,
800-425-4887, in Massachusetts) and work through these issues with them and
a forward looking, clever civil engineer.  All three companies are
addressing the issues I've mentioned in different ways and all continue to
make progress.

In our case, we have found that it has been necessary, in order to
understand our options and achieve our goals, to do some basic engineering
on our own and bring in a variety of experts.  I can't tell you what will
result from this process (we're in the middle of it now), but I will try to
report further at a later date.

John Abrams
South Mountain Co., Inc. and Island Cohousing, West Tisbury, MA  (where
infrastructure improvements and land clearing have begun, and we're well on
our way to . . . )