+x+xHi, we’re heading to the Mediterranean hopefully in summer 2023, can anyone tell me if a composting toilet meets the regulations out there especially Turkey, but anywhere!
Look forward to your reply’s.
Ray & Theresa
Magic window.
Hi Ray,
There is no reasonable reason for composting toilets to be dis-allowed, but we are dealing with bureaucracies so reasonableness and common sense have little sway. Turkey, 10+ years ago, was passing lots of rules for both black and grey water and then doing nothing to enforce the rules nor were they doing anything to make the rules workable (such as pump out facilities). I am not sure what exists now.
Let us know what you find out.
I have one season living with a composting toilet and am working on a field report which I will post when completed.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
Composting Toilet, field report, season 2021
We were heading for the Great Lakes, USA, where there are plenty of pump out stations, but our holding tank was small and we like to spend long periods at anchor and we do not like tying to any docks and piers with any regularity as they are usually inconvenient at best and maneuvering around tight spaces near hard stuff is not my idea of fun.
So, we bought an Air Head composting toilet*.
ADVANTAGES:
1. Legal in all areas of the world I am aware of.
2. More important, we feel like we are doing the right thing. It has never felt good to pump overboard: clearly doing so in some areas is better than others.
3. No more being in pristine clear waters and seeing the astoundingly clear evidence of pumping overboard. Especially if you or those around you are swimming in the area. For those of us who come from tinted water (clean, but with silt from rivers for ex. and usual in the US and Northern Europe), this is a visual revelation: and a far from pleasant one.
4. The whole toilet is easily moved and/or removed, which, on my boat, makes access to some areas far easier.
5. Two fewer through hulls: no chance of the toilet causing back-siphoning or one of the many joints giving way and causing a leak.
6. We have lived aboard full time many years and a number of years 6 months on and 6 months off and it was a regular occurrence (every 2 years or so) that there was a major problem, even with vigilance. It was only the last few years that I felt confident in my set-up that we were not going to endure a problem necessitating an impressive period of time engaging in disagree-able work usually entailing much boat-yoga.
Ripping out all the conventional toilet installation was pure joy, although they had served us pretty well for decades: lots of hose and 2 anti-siphon vents jettisoned, 2 thru-hulls closed off, etc.
DISADVANTAGES:
1. You are up close and personal with elements of everyday life that we, in the civilized world, have devised ways to not be closely acquainted with (see below). Once the learning curve has occurred this is far less pronounced and, possibly, even less so than conventional head toilets.
2. Those vessels who entertain frequent guests will be challenged as each guest must engage the learning curve od proper use.
3. We have not had to deal with long periods where the boat is amply heeled over and we are bouncing along. I anticipate there will be a new learning curve and some challenges when that occurs.
INSTALLATION:
Good directions and equipment for installation was provided.
Basically, installation was a no-brainer if ample time was given to work out the details ahead of actual execution.
The Airhead stood taller than the Raritan PHII that it replaced, but not so it was a big problem on my 40-foot boat. The biggest challenge is venting the solids reservoir (for drying out purposes more than for odors) which entails running some hose (1.25” if memory serves) to the vent area. I vented mine to an aft machinery area where, over a couple of months of full-time cruising, there did not appear to be any moisture build up or odor. Air is moved continually by a small computer fan. Other options have venting through the hull or deck to open air. You are supplied with a corrugated hose (for flexibility), but for a long straight run I used PVC pipe as it is smooth bore and not crushable.
Learning curve, operator error/forgetfulness took precedence in this area:
1st liquids and solids are stored separately for good reason and the Airhead makes this fairly easy to accomplish.
2nd There is a manually operated flap opening a hole allowing a human deposit of solids to drop straight into their storage area. Neglecting to flip that flap before delivery makes for a cleaning challenge.
3rd One will need to learn to position one’s posterior so that your natural drop zone aligns with the hole revealed when opening the flap; there is motivation to accurate position-learning as “missing” demands cleaning up solids that do not find their way cleanly down the hole to the storage area.
Once learned (a few “mistakes”) using the toilet is very straightforward and, in most ways, quite a bit easier: no pumping for an obvious one.
IN USE:
1. There are a number of recommended mediums (peat moss, coconut mass, wood chips) which often needs moistening ahead of time and preparation (breaking up for example). This medium resides in the solid’s container and is agitated (stirred remotely) after every solids deposit.
2. The learning curve has been described.
3. Liquid deposit for 2 adults is surprising in volume: probably a daily emptying of the reservoir even if you get the larger one.
4. We get 2-3 weeks before needing to empty the solids collection tank and suspect we will extend that time as we get better acquainted with the unit. The agitating arms are limited in their reach and after 2 weeks, one can improve the mix and extend the time before emptying by removing the top and stirring/agitate by hand with a stirrer of some sort. This is far less disagree-able than imagination would dictate.
DISPOSAL:
1. The liquid reservoir unfastens easily from its base and has a cap for enclosure and a handle for carrying.
2. The “seat” of the toilet comes off the container for the solids, which in turn comes easily off its base attached to the boat. It has a sealed top if transport is planned.
3. Emptying the liquid reservoir presents with multiple possibilities. Land based toilets are always recommended. Saving for land-based deposit in the form of some sort of auxiliary reservoir is possibly. Pouring overboard is discouraged in some writing because of a high concentration of (I think) nitrogen.
4. Solids disposal again has a number of options. The solids will remind many of cat litter: not disagree-able, and it can be dumped into a plastic garbage bag easily and without mess. From there it can be disposed of with regular garbage (think of the number ofdoggy disposal bags that get deposited in garbage or also know that diapers/nappies compose 10-15% of landfill). We double bag. Another option when more in the wild is to dig a hole. It is great fertilizer (reportedly), but not for growth that might find its way to human consumption.
*Composting is a bit of a hype/exaggeration: solids are not left long enough to actually compost and liquids are disposed of frequently: 2 people, well hydrated, generate a lot of liquid. It is better described as a desiccating toilet. For more please see an article in Practical Sailor, probably sometime in 2021.
Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy