Design Manual: Composting Toilets Latrines

Matthew Elke and Deborah Glaser, Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara Description A composting toilet is a relatively simple system consisting of a toilet and a human waste collection chamber. As waste accumulates in the chamber, the biochemical process of composting renders that waste harmless. The high temperatures (40o-60o C) of an aerobic compost pile kills the bacteria, worms, and viruses present in human waste. A nice benefit of this composting process is the production of humus, a wonderful fertilizer that can be applied to gardens or agricultural fields. This humus is totally harmless as all of the dangerous bacteria have been killed through the composting process. Purpose Composting toilets are designed to isolate human waste and kill the harmful pathogens within it. Even though humans produce this waste naturally from their bodies, there are pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites that live in human fecal material. If these pathogens are ingested by people, serious health problems can result. Simple pit latrines do not kill these pathogens and they are easily released into the ground and water (Figure 2). By isolating this waste in a lined bin or concrete chamber the pathogens from this waste cannot get into the ground water, surface water, or onto the food crops that are grown in the fields. Composting toilets help communities without the proper infrastructure to lessen the impacts of human waste. If used properly composting toilets can improve sanitation and reduce the level of sickness experienced by an areas population. Location The location of composting toilets is a very important factor and one that must be looked into carefully. There are a number of things to consider when choosing where to site a composting toilet. a. The type of composting system to be used greatly affects location If it is a free standing style latrine, then ideally it would be located closer to where the family lives If it is the combination system with an indoor toilet and separate composting chambers, then the convenience of

Figure 1. The three images above show an indoor sawdust toilet (Jenkins 2007)

having the composting chambers close is not as big a factor If the composting chamber is to be used by a large number of individual toilets then extra precautions will have to be taken to ensure that the composting waste remains isolated b. The free standing composting toilet or composting chambers must be located where it will not be flooded during rain storms. Ground that slopes away from the toilet will improve drainage Toilets should not be placed very close to trees. During heavy rains water can runoff the trees and into the latrine. The tree roots can also crack the composting chamber as they grow. Required Materials Neither type of latrine system requires a whole lot of construction materials. Materials can be broken down into two main groups, construction materials and maintenance / operation materials. Composting toilets and latrines, unlike some other water resource management technologies, require a constant input of materials to ensure the system functions properly. Fortunately these materials are not expensive (many times they can be found for free) and routine maintenance is very easy and consumes little time. The major materials required are listed in Table 1 on the next page.

Figure 2. The common outhouse style latrine

Table 1. Basic material list for construction and operation of a composting toilet Construction Maintenance/Operation wood straw nails weeds plastic buckets long grass concrete sawdust cement rice hulls paint ashes concrete blocks rake hinges/brackets plastic buckets bricks wood boards metal sheets

a. Concrete cinder blocks This is the primary material that will be needed for the free standing composting latrine They can also be used for the collection bins in a in house toilet system Concrete block is durable, water proof, and easy to work with b. Galvanized and or corrugated metal This material makes an Ideal roof for the free standing latrines or the collection bins of a combination system It is easily cut and shaped to fit a desired space This material can also be used for the door to the outhouse c. Lumber / Plywood Wood is a good material for the framing of the free standing toilet It can be used for the latrine door as well Plywood is used to make the frame for the indoor sawdust toilet Old wooden shipping pallets can also be used to form the composting bins of the separated system d. Plant Material Sawdust, rice hulls, and ashes eliminate bad odors Grass, weeds, and straw allow air to flow into the compost pile Both are a source of carbon (C) which helps balance the composting process e. Hardware Nails are cheaper than screws but do not make as a strong a connection Hinges will be needed to attach the door to the free standing latrine. They will also be needed for the inside toilet The 5 gallon plastic buckets are the collection bins for the inside toilets The rake is used to add plant material to the bin Construction 1. Sawdust Toilet: construction steps for a hinged top sawdust toilet are listed below. The materials needed to construct the sawdust toilet are as follows 2 pieces of plywood for the hinged top (3/4 x 18 x 18 in) & (3/4 x 18 x 3 in) 2 pieces of plywood for the toilets sides (3/4 x 10 x 19.5 in) 2 pieces of plywood for the toilet front and back (3/4 x 10 x 18 in) 4 pieces of wood stock for the legs (1.5 x 3 x 12 in) 35, identical 5 gallon plastic buckets, depending on family size 1 standard toilet seat 2 strong hinges and screws Stain, paint, or varnish to protect the toilet

Figure 3. Diagrams 1-9 on the last three pages outline the construction steps for an indoor sawdust toilet (modified from: Jenkins 2005)

It is better if the toilet room is located near an outside door As mentioned above the bucket should be higher than the toilet box and make contact with the toilet seat

2. Compost Bin Compost bins can be made out of Concrete blocks, wooden boards and posts, or old packing pallets A minimum of two compost chambers are needed: one for current disposal and the second for ageing Ideally the system would have three bins, where the third would act as a storage area for topping material (straw, grass, weeds, etc) For a family of 3-4 people dimensions of each bin should be approximately: width 5.0 ft length 5.0 ft height 3.5 ft

Figure 4. Three bin design: here the chambers are made out of wooden posts and left over boards. The chambers can just as easily be made out of concrete blocks or wooden pallets

The dimensions of the bins can be adjusted depending on the site and the number of people whose waste will be composted The overall volume of each bin should be close to 88 ft3 Note: the volume of each bin should not exceed much more than 100 ft3 as this can lead to a too large and inefficient compost pile

3. Free Standing Latrine Construction of a free standing latrine is similar to that of a concrete compost bin system Two concrete chambers under a moveable toilet serve as the composting area (Figure 5) A wooden frame needs to built around the composting chambers Corrugated galvanized steel is the best material for the roof A third chamber should be built on the side to hold the topping material (straw, leaves, sawdust, grass, etc) Near the top of the compost bin rectangular openings should be made to allow good air flow These openings should be covered with wire mesh so animals cannot enter the chambers The operation of this latrine is very similar to the operation of the compost bins from the combination system (Figure 6 and Figure 7)

Figure 5. A free standing, two camber, composting latrine

Operation 1. Sawdust Toilet 2 inches of sawdust should be placed in the bottom of a clean bucket before it is placed into the toilet box for use Clean organic material must be added to the toilet after every use to eliminate odor (sawdust is best, but rice hulls, ashes, or grass will also work.) After a buckets waste is discarded into the compost bin it must be scrubbed and rinsed with a little water Bucket wash water should also be dumped onto the pile Having multiple buckets means fewer trips to the compost pile and less time spent washing buckets Sawdust from carpentry shops should be avoided as these may contain chemicals and pesticides 2. Compost Bin With each fresh bin 18 inches of straw, hay, leaves or weeds should be laid down in the bottom of the bin After each bucketful from the toilet is dumped on the compost pile, more straw, leaves, or weeds should be added Compost needs a good amount of moisture, 69 gallons of water for every 1 ft3 of compost This moisture comes from urine, the water used in cleaning the toilet buckets, and a bit from rain Compost should be allowed to age for one year after the bin has been filled A proper ratio of nitrogen (N) to carbon (C) is needed Human waste is high in nitrogen (N) which is why high carbon (C) plant materials need to be added to the composting waste Plant materials need to be properly layered Sawdust from wood that has been treated with chemicals should be avoided The compost pile must be raked every few months Waste from the buckets should be placed in the center of the compost pile New waste added to the compost pile should immediately be covered with a bulky organic material Straw, hay, leaves, grass, weeds, all make good cover materials It is important to add enough cover material to eliminate odors and absorb liquids When the composting becomes full, cover the whole surface with a good layer of straw, grass, or weeds After a year a curing the compost can be spread onto gardens or fields

Figure 6. Adding topping material to the active bin (Ambachten 2007)

Figure 7. Three bin system in use

Costs Material costs for a indoor sawdust toilet are $20 - $25 The three bin composting chamber system costs $100 - $125 depending upon materials. This cost is often much less if materials can be found and reused Topping material costs vary greatly, however it is not difficult to find free sources of green waste for topping The materials for a complete free standing latrine will cost $200 - $225 Maintenance A compost pile stinks if it does not have air space A compost pile that allows air to flow does not stink Mechanical aeration and turning of the pile is not needed for the size of the bins and chambers outlined in this manual Mechanical aeration and turning can actually lead to reduced pathogen death Food waste can also be added to the compost bin Animal waste should not be composted as this waste tends to have more pathogens and is potentially more harmful to people 5 gallon plastic buckets should be replaced after 7-10 years Do not use wood chips because they can dry out the compost pile

References This manual, its construction steps and recommendations, is based primarily on the information contained in the Humanure handbook by Joseph Jenkins. This source, as well as others used, is cited below.

Ambachten, Beter 1x zien dan 100x horen. (March, 2007) http://www.de12ambachten.nl/beter1x3.html Beaudoin, Marie-Andre, and Cullar, Amanda Dulcinea. Construction of Dry Composting Latrines in Rural Southern Mexico. University of Texas, Austin 2005. http://www.engr.utexas.edu/esw/ESWreport.pdf Jenkins, Joseph. Humanure Handbook. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2005. Jenkins, Joseph. Gallery of Humanure Compost Bins (March, 2007) http://www.jenkinspublishing.com/photo_albums/bin_album/index.htm

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