[SustainableTompkins] compost toilets?

[Gail Blake]

Hello Patricia,

Joseph Jenkins' book, Humanure, is a wealth of information on 
composting human manure, including building composting toilets. 
Alternatives Library has a copy and you can also download all the 
earlier editions for free from http://www.jenkinspublishing.com/humanure.html.

That being said, I am pretty sure the health department does not 
allow the use of owner-built composting toilets. I was doing research 
on this for a presentation I made to the Master Composter class I was 
taking in March and I called the health department and asked Rick 
Ewald, Senior Sanitarian, what the regulations were. He told me that 
only commercially built composting toilets were allowed.

This does not mean that you can't do a good and sanitary job of 
building a toilet, but the health department will not give you a 
permit for one. So if you have any permitting or inspections as part 
of your Institute, you may not be able to build your own toilet. You 
do need to be careful in your design and use in order to compost 
human waste safely.  Read Jenkins' book for more on how to do that.

Good luck!
Gail Blake

At 12:08 PM 6/6/2008, you wrote:

>does anyone have experience with creating their own compost toilets? 
>the commercial ones are very expensive, and most intended for indoor 
>use. We want one or more for the outdoor living area at Level Green.
>
>Thanks - Patricia 339-4972
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County 
>area, please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
>RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
>SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
>http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
>free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org