Nick's Research Part 1

Composting Toilets and Beyond

Roman Latrine in Ostia, Italy

Managing feces and urine has been a focus of civilizations for thousands of years. All over the world people have developed systems from as simple as digging a hole in the ground, or using running water to carry it away to a river or stream, to complex interconnected cities of underground pipes that end in sewage treatment facilities. In Asia it is common to recycle feces and apply it back to agricultural ground as “Night Soil”, while in America and Europe it is commonly referred to as “Waste” and thought of only in disgust. Feces and urine definitely should be considered carefully, as feces in particular can harbor dangerous or potentially lethal viruses and bacteria. Handled properly, however, human as well as other animal “Waste” can be recycled through the various processes of nature or applied science.

Chamber Pot - Nottingham, England - 16th - 18th Century

Advancements in sanitation and hygiene practices are often cited as an integral factor of recent global population boom. Modern western plumbing employs a drain-waste-vent system removing sewage and greywater from a building and venting gases produced by the waste. Running water carries away the waste and joins with a central sewage system often leading to a central sewage treatment plant and eventually a landfill. As the population continues to rise, the feasibility of using more water and land to divert human waste will become more difficult and ultimately fall on the shoulders of a future generation to determine how to reclaim these currently untapped unwanted resources. Over one billion people currently live without consistent access to running water or electricity. Composting toilets offer one alternative, but not without their own drawbacks, and further advances in environmental engineering and chemical engineering are allowing for greater technological advances in the capture and processing of human waste.

Drain-Waste-Vent System

Composting Toilet