With environmental issues getting lots of media attention these days (hi there Greta!), it makes sense that more and more people are starting to think about their impact on the only home we have – earth.
As you have probably guessed, composting toilets work differently to ‘traditional’ flush toilets. In a sense, the concept is the same (waste is gathered and treated) however, composting toilets do this in a much more eco-friendly way without the use of harsh chemicals, waste runoffs or waste products leeching into the groundwater or being flushed into the ocean.
If you want to reduce your footprint on our planet and become a little more self-sufficient in how you deal with your own and your family’s waste, a composting toilet is a great option! Here are a few benefits to owning a composting toilet.
Installation
If you’ve ever tried to install a ‘traditional flush’ toilet you will be more than aware of the multiple moving parts, pipes and parts that can quickly leave you cursing and calling a plumber. One of the biggest benefits of composting toilets is its simplicity. No moving parts to break down or leak so installation is a breeze and all that’s needed are some standard tools that most people will have readily available in their home.
Installation becomes even more beneficial if you have a property that isn’t running on town water or connected to the grid. Composting toilets are quick and easy to install and can go from out of the box to installed and ready to use in a matter of hours.
Impact
Not only are composting toilets great for the environment in general, they have minimal impact on your property. Not only will you save money, but you also will not be required to have pipes running through your land to flush away waste products. This means less maintenance of water pipes and no potential groundwater issues you could face if going with a septic tank.
Water savings
We truly believe most people don’t appreciate the necessity of water in Australia. Farmers understand how precious it is, but unfortunately most people these days live either in cities or regional areas where clean drinking water is available with the simple turn of the tap.
If you’re living on tank water or your home is off the grid, you quickly come to realise what a precious commodity fresh water is, so it makes zero sense to be flushing perfectly good drinking water down the toilet. A composting toilet can save you upwards of 35,000 litres of water per year.
Free compost
Whilst there are some limitations on how you can use the compost from a composting toilet, the fact remains you’re turning what is seen as ‘waste material’ into something that can be used again. It’s nice to think the plants and animals you eat make their way through your body, then make their way through a composting toilet and back to the earth where they came from. It’s a nice circle of life (cue The Lion King Music).
Very little ongoing cost
Unlike a traditional toilet that has many moving parts and requires pipes that crack, break, bend and get blocked, composting toilets require very minimal ongoing costs. Once you’ve installed a composting toilet all that’s needed is the occasional bottle of cleaning enzymes and you’re good to go.
Space Savers
If you’re in a small cottage or tiny home, composting toilets can be a real space saver. Our all-in-one or self-contained units are small, easy to install and can be installed in a home that has a concrete slab or isn’t connected to town water. There’s no cistern to accommodate either so if space is at a minimum in your home, a composting toilet is a great idea.
Water shortage? No problem
With droughts, storms and other natural disasters being a common occurrence in Australia, having the water or power cut is sometimes a regular occurrence depending on where you live. Having no power or water won’t affect your composting toilet as long as you have a solar system installed for your exhaust fans. Composting toilets can easily operate entirely off the grid so you’re not dependant on power or water from providers or utilities for your family to be able to go to the bathroom if a natural disaster happens and water or power is cut off.
These are just a few of the benefits of having a composting toilet. If you would like to chat with one of our representatives about how a composting toilet might suit your home, feel free to call us on 1300 138 182 for a no-obligation chat.