OFF-GRID WATERLESS TOILET
Photo courtesy of Separett
The Separett Villa, 1067-03, AC/DC waterless toilet does not “compost” human solids or urine! The classification of the Separett is an “Urine Diverting” Dry Toilet (UDDT).
Homes with traditional plumbing systems use wet toilets that requires large volumes of treated water to flush the solids and urine away to either a municipal water treatment system or septic tank.
Waterless toilets either combine urine and solids or separate them like the Separett Villa. The former requires the use of fillers composed of sawdust, wood chips or peat moss and periodic rotation of the deposits to absorb moisture and reduce odors by the mixing of the urine and solids in the absorbent media. The Separett alleviates this chore by simply keeping the solids separate from the urine.
An incinerating toilet is not an option with this research since it uses too much energy for an off-grid power system. A burn cycle can last two hours and may require 2000 Watts per hour.
Waterless toilets are often called “composting toilets” but this is a misconception. The solids do not remain inside the toilet long enough to fully compost the contents. The actual composting is initiated when the solids are evacuated and relocated to a designated composting area. The solids compost often includes other biodegradable contents like leaves, grass, fruits and vegetables . . . but should be kept away from human crops or gardens.
Photo courtesy of Separett
In the Separett toilet solids and urine are separated and stored in two different compartments: Solids are deposited in removable biodegradable compostable bags; while urine is diverted to the Tiny Off-Grid House grey water holding tank.
Since the solids are deposited in to 1.1 mil biodegradable bags, a black water holding tank is not required. The urine is diverted to a grey water holding tank where it can be diluted and discharged with other grey water effluent from the Tiny Off-Grid House. Since no water is required to flush the toilet contents, no connection to a sewage or septic tank system is required; saving water. No water also eliminates the potential of splash-back common with flush toilets bowl water. Also, a major elimination is the release of contaminated aerosol particles spreading on bathroom surfaces and hovering in the air caused by the turbulence of flushing toilet water.
When concentrated urine mixes with solids the combination of the nitrogen, found in the urine, creates a putrid mix that creates an odor from the ammonia nitrate (NH3) that is created. Separating the urine from the solids prevents this catalyst in the solids holding chamber.
Solids can be made of 74.6% water. The moisture and odors contained in the solids are evaporated from the Separett, through a short 1 1/4” diameter vent to the outside; using a small energy efficient 24/7 fan plugged in to an AC GFCI receptacle. The solids subsequently shrinks turning in to a dry husk devoid of moisture and odor. There has been no known complaints by users of lingering odors outside near the opening of the exhaust vent.
When concentrated urine mixes with solids the combination of the nitrogen, found in the urine, creates a putrid mix that creates an odor from the ammonia nitrate (NH3) that is created. Separating the urine from the solids prevents this catalyst in the solids holding chamber. The Separett Villa is less labor intensive because saw dust, wood chips or peat moss are not required and physical rotation of the solids and absorbent media in the holding chamber is not necessary.
Photo courtesy of Separett
Except for the occasional surface cleaning that you would also perform on a flush toilet, the Separett Villa is almost maintenance free until it is time to empty the solids chamber; which can be easily accomplished by lifting the seat panel and removing the entire biodegradible bag containing the solids. Depending on usage and the number of users, will determine how often the solids chamber would need to be emptied. For instance, diarrhea and vomitus may require evacuation of the solids chamber sooner. The urine diverting disposal line requires a weekly deposit of white distilled > 5% acetic acid vinegar to descale the urine hose of calcium oxalate crystallization. The use of distilled white Vinegar is environmentally safe since it is biodegradable; reverting to acetic acid and water which should not harm the environment.
Any intention of using the solids as soil fertilizer can be accomplished after a sufficient period of composting —outside the toilet solids chamber— in soil to allow friendly aerobic bacteria and the suns UV rays to get rid of pathogens. According to The “Humanure Compost Toilet System Condensed Instruction Manual” by Joseph C. Jenkins© 2015 “Human excrement can be a major source of environmental pollution around the world. It also can be a source of disease organisms. When discarded into the environment as a waste material (“human waste”), it creates pollution and threatens public health. When recycled by composting, the pollution and health threats can be eliminated.”
Urine is liquid waste produced by the kidneys that can be diluted and used as a fertilizer to return essential nutrients to the garden soil. Urine is mostly 90% water, 2.5% urea with the remaining 2.5% made of minerals such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. The urine moistness and proteins can serve as a composting accelerator when added to a compost pile.
The Tiny Off-Grid House diverts urine to the grey water holding tank where it becomes diluted with residential grey water, along with organic biodegradable cleaning and personal care products. This grey water effluent is best for deposit on the roots of trees and should not be deposited directly on top of vegetables or flowers. Urine is not sterile, urine does contain bacteria; especially if someone is experiencing an urinary tract infection (UTI). But the bacteria does not cause critical illness to humans. Consumed medications can be present in urine. It is recommend that the use of urine as fertilizer should be avoided if medications or radioactive medicinal implants are consumed.
While feminine hygiene products should not be deposited in standard water flush toilets, to avoid clogging the pipes, the Separett Villa can accommodate 100% cotton and biodegradable tampons and sanitary napkins along with menstrual blood — rich in nitrogen and proteins as fertilizer. Tampons or sanitary napkins containing cardboard can be composted but not “plastic” applicators or reusable menstrual cups (An eco-friendly alternative to disposable pads and tampons N.Y.T. 7/10/19)
Although the Separett seems to be able to handle most toilet tissues, the preferred choice for the Tiny Off-Grid House will be biodegradable, chemical free, chlorine free, fragrance free, no added dyes toilet paper that can start to break down in the solids chamber and help to add carbon to a humanure compost.
The Separett can be installed at an average to low height to facilitate a human squatting position compared to sitting at a traditional toilet height. According to SquattyPotty “Squatting relaxes the puborectalis muscle, allowing the anorectal angle to straighten and the bowel to empty completely. Squatting lifts the sigmoid colon to unlock the ‘kink’ at the entrance to the rectum. Gravity does most of the work. The weight of the torso presses against the thighs and naturally compresses the colon”
The Separett Villa is ideal for a Tiny Off-Grid House, van or bus conversion and is also sustainable for environments with restricted access to clean water and/or a dependable sanitation infrastructure. Each flush of a wet toilet consume about 3.6 GPF (13.6 liters) while older wet toilets may waste double that number. The water used in wet toilets is the same drinking water that had energy expended in to it to pump it, clean it and add chemicals for taste. Our municipal waste water sewage system is not perfect. When a municipal sewage system is overloaded due to heavy rains, broken pipes or flooding the waste effluent is dumped directly in to rivers and waterways where filter feeding organisms, like shellfish, become contaminated with pathogens, including Hepatitis A. According to The Centers For Disease Control (CDC) “Cholera bacterium is usually found in water or food sources [shellfish] that have been contaminated by feces (poop) from a person infected with cholera. Cholera is most likely to be found and spread in places with inadequate water treatment, poor sanitation . . .”
If humanure composting is not appealing to you, one can simply dispose of the biodegradable bags containing the solids in to regular garbage; the same way diapers, sanitary wipes and colostomy bags are disposed in to regular garbage.
The use of a Separett has its advantages in a Tiny Off-Grid House mainly because it does not need any water. Also, the energy efficient 12 volt fan uses very little electrical energy. Not having to store saw dust, wood chips or manually rotate the contents is a convenience that saves space and labor. The Separett offers the convenience of safe disposal of human excrements without harming our environment and can increase soil fertility if treated appropriately.
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