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Tim_Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 14 Oct 2021 08:42am
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Well, inside was better then outside for a little privacy for doing the biological business necessary to all of us.
No water at this place or septic, so the 5 gallon bucket suffices.
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 14 Oct 2021 11:57am
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You going to use cedar wood chips or something in the bucket to keep the smell down?
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Tim_Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 14 Oct 2021 03:08pm - Edited by: Tim_Ohio
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Hi, Willie.
In the cabin, I've been lining the bucket with a plastic bag, then putting a layer of cat litter in the bottom. After doing said business, I'll poor in another small amount of litter (the clumping kind with baking soda)
to cover. I carry it out and take it home, since I'm not living there.
Now, I have a second one in the bathroom of the barn. I've used dirt in that bucket and it actually works very well. I would cover said business with another layer. When it's full enough, I'd bury it in a hole out somewhere on the property. The only trouble with dirt is that there is a lot of dust from pouring it into the bucket, even when using a scoop.
Also, without a liner, I have to clean the bucket (which is not much fun...usually a toilet brush, some water and bleach)
Oh, and by the way, I've found that my tractor comes in handy for putting it in the ground. The post hole auger attachment I used to do the foundation on the cabin comes in handy for drilling nice deep holes without much effort, chuckling.
Tim
Now, I know it's not the green method, but it's cheap and convenient and works for now.
Tim
Ohio
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lburners
Member
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# Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:00pm
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I think you can find biodegradable bags for 5 gallon buckets. People use them for compost. Seems like a lot more ideal than scrubbing the bucket out every time.
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Tim_Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2021 08:39am
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Iburners,
I like that idea. I didn't know they made the biodegradable bags. I looked into them and it seems they do have a shelf life. I'll have to give it a try and maybe double line the bucket with a regular plastic bag, then the biodegradable inside, in case it breaks down and leaks.
Thank you for the tip. It's appreciated.
Tim_Ohio
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2021 11:29am
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We use biodegradable bags. There prety flimsy but do make getting all the wet wood shavings out of our bucket prety easy. I find our composting bucket stinks way to much to ever use one in our cabin. We have a 4x4' outhouse.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 15 Oct 2021 11:48pm
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There is a bunch of info online regarding diy composting bucket systems. Often they reference a book by a chap named Jenkins who has used such for 30 some years and uses the 'humanure' on his garden.
Mention has been made that it is far easier to dump and flush the bucket sans a liner bag than pulling and dumping the bag full. And that even the so called biodegradable bags should not go into the final composting bin(s).
Hardwood sawdust is the preferred base layer, though spruce needles, shredded tree leaves or dried grass clippings are all used. I would think that hay duff would work well, maybe better than straw since it breaks down faster. Covering each 'do' with same cuts the smells, and barn lime certainly keeps the flies away.
The biggie on smells is diverting the urine away from the solids collection. Pee has the most stink and fills the bucket the fastest.
Our 'out' has no smell, no flies and fills slowly. When we burned wood I used to cover the 'do' with wood ashes each day, a light covering was all I needed. Now we use the very cheap 'powdered' barn lime. I keep it in a 'square' plastic cat litter container with snap lid at the cabin, lasts a lonnggg time. The rest of the 40# bag goes on the tomato plants and lawn at home.
Im soon to hit up a friend that does woodworking for a 5 gal bucket of nice dense sawdust. Btw, chainsaw sawdust will have oil from the bar oiler in it, probably not good for the compost process.
The 'luggable loo' system c/w bags has a place. A disposable baby diaper in the bottom of the bag absorbs the urine, as would the sawdust but be heavier still. Bag it and take it home to dispose of does get rid of the evidence but leaves one open to jokes if anyone finds out about it......ie, "you do What with your...."
Fwiw, anyone who has had babies or infirm adults has had to deal with far worse than dumping and flushing out a bucket at the compost bin, just follow the sensible sanitary procedures.
And anyone involved in animal husbandry has had way more quantity to mess (pun intended) about with on a daily basis than a couple people at a cabin.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2021 08:23am
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Does anyone actualy use the waste from one of these toilets on there garden? I certainly wont be.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 16 Oct 2021 11:32am - Edited by: gcrank1
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One does not just take the bucket out to the garden and through it over the veggies!
Following the aging/composting in the 'The Humanure Handbook' by Joseph Jenkins; ie, 1 year min. in a properly functioning compost bin that reaches internal temps that kills the bad stuff, it is safe and looks like any other 'nice' compost, though the thought of using it on garden veggies puts many off. If so, use it around the flowers and orchard trees, etc.
The thing is that using the typical house type (and mandated/regulated) septic system is a poor use of otherwise fresh water. Using rain-barrel water, etc, at a cabin is a smarter use of water but the still required by code septic system or holding tank (needing periodic pumping) is a wasteful (pun intended) system, and as we all know, Terribly Expensive.
Yet the purpose of the regs is understandable for issues of health. The properly utilized, but simple tech, composting systems can meet the intent, if not the letter of the law. That is good for your health and the water/eco/neigborhood system you live in.
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