Composting Toilet System Book: A Practical Guide to Choosing, Planning and Maintaining Composting Toilet Systems

by David Del Porto, Carol Steinfeld

From systems for cottages to year-round systems with micro-flush toilets and graywater gardens, the wide range of ecological recycling toilet options are featured in The Composting Toilet System Book. More than 40 systemsincluding those you can buy and those you can buildare featured. Composting toilet systems and other ecological wastewater management methods are increasingly installed in both seasonal and year-round homes, as municipalities require systems that won't pollute the environment and drinking water. This book details whyand how to choose, install and maintain them. You'll also find profiles of owner-operators worldwide, regulatory information for every state, compatible toilet stools (waterless, micro-flush, foam- and vacuum-flush and urine-diverting), a chapter on graywater systems, information about health risks and handling, and sources for many off-the-shelf and DIY designs. [IMPORTANT This book is written to be regulator friendly to make getting local permits for a system easier.] If you are seeking to install a system that meets state codes or if you are simply seeking to make your own system, this book is for you. Stop polluting and start recycling and saving water today!

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2000

Reviews

[Cocoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started thinking about compost toilets I had no idea how much science would be involved. I know, very simplistic thinking. I thought the book was done well. I appreciated that they showcased examples of compost toilets around the world. They asked owner about problems they had with their compost toilets and solutions that they had found. I appreciate the "real world" perspective they took in writing this book. There is a nice section on grey water toward the end of the book. Next on my list is the The Humanure Handbook.

[Geoffrey]

This book has some good parts. It seems that the authors are quite into high-tech solutions.

[Carl Wade · Rating 2 out of 5]

My rating reflects how much I got out of it.
Pg. 234: My copy from the Library has dirt damage like it was on a compost file.
Pg 25: Composting is better than drying. It makes nutrients available to plants to use.
Pg 31: Some states allow composting toilets.
Pg 40: I don't remember leachate in other books.
Pg 61: Guidelines if used on food. Temperatures must reach 160 degrees. Use only on crops that don't touch the ground. Put at least 6" below the surface. Dilute urine eight to one.
Pg 88: Diapers and tanpons add a lot of bulk. Must watch for plastic.
Pg 70: Sources and products ww.jademountain.com, www.lehmans.com, www.realgoods.com.
Pg 103: One desing uses the buss word permaculture.
Pg 108: Bucket to outdoor composting plan; seems to be directly from "Humanure Handbook". This would be cheap but labor intensive.
Pg 143: Wow this buildings graywater is only 10CFU per 100 milliliter compared to 200 CFU for swimming pools.
Pg 174: Simple ways to use Graywater. Use a basin in your sink and dump on plants. Save warm us shower water to flush the toilet.
Pg 208: WA is one of the friendliest and progressive state for alternative systems and a model for other states.