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Frequently asked questions:

1. Q. Why should I have a composting toilet?

A.

No smell, no splash, and a silent 'flush'. For sites without existing foul drainage. For sites with drainage problems such as clayey soil and a consequent need to reduce the volume of waste water Where there is little available water. From a desire to reduce water consumption for environmental reasons. From a desire to recycle organic wastes.



2. Q. Can compost toilets fit in the space taken by a WC?

A. NatSol is not aware of any genuine composting toilet which fits in the space taken up by a WC. There are some toilets which are not much larger but these are usually incinerating or dehydrating toilets or "bucket" toilets. The critical dimension in most situations is not the floor area taken up by a composting toilet but the space required below the floor. In particular, the depth of vault required. NatSol toilets can be constructed with as little as 750mm vault depth and because there is no requirement with an NatSol toilet for drainage from the bottom of the vault it is possible for the vault to extend below ground level.



3. Q. Why urine separation?

A. Urine separation diverts the urine from a seated user and away from the compost pile to a soakaway or collection tank. Removing the urine means that the vault contents are drier and that the vault does not require drainage. This is a very considerable advantage over other types of toilet. Furthermore, exclusion of urine from the vault reduces the likelihood of smells. NatSol toilets need very little soak material because of urine separation. A ceramic wall mounted urinal is usually provided for men.



4. Q. Why have two vaults?

A. One vault is in use whilst the other rests so that when compost is removed even the newest deposit has had a whole year to decompose. Systems which use a single vault rely on the height and gradient of the vault to separate fresh wastes from older wastes but this doesn't give such good separation.



5. Q. Is it possible to have a single vault NatSol toilet?

A. NatSol has developed some single chamber designs - see the examples page and the products page. Whilst twin vaults have many advantages there are situations where single chamber designs may be more appropriate.



6. Q. Do the toilet buildings come supplied with a light?

A. A light could be fitted, running from a photovoltaic panel or a mains supply, but NatSol does not supply cubicle lights.



7. Q. Why is the pedestal the shape that it is?

A. Good design requires that form follows function. A WC pan is shaped as it is to make flushing possible. In an unflushed toilet it is important to shape the pedestal to avoid fouling the inner surfaces. We normally manufacture the pedestal in grey externally because most of our installations are on remote work sites and this does not show marks readily. The internal surface is black which absorbs light and reduces visibility of the vault contents.



8. Q. Do composting toilets smell?

A. Our fan vented composting toilets smell less than a WC cubicle because of the gentle airflow down the pedestal. Any odour at all indicates a fault and should be investigated. For remote sites without electricity NatSol installs toilets with passive rather than fan driven ventilation. In these circumstances the building is also ventilated because passive vents can be adversely affected by weather conditions leading to occasional mild fusty odours. However, strong smells cannot occur with correctly maintained urine separating toilets. Where a toilet is to be installed in an existing or new multi purpose building we usually recommend powered ventilation using a 1 watt fan.



9. Q. Are flies a problem with composting toilets?

A. We would be suspicious of any manufacturer of a genuine composting toilet who claimed they had never had flies in one of their composting toilets. There are a large number of dung fly species in the UK and due to their small size they can fairly easily find their way into a toilet vault. However we are pleased to report that the vast majority of our toilets have not had fly problems. If they do occur it can usually be resolved by a change in the management regime. The most likely cause is due to high moisture content in the vault and this may be caused by failure to clean the urine separating system. To a large extent fly larvae will be eaten by other small predators in the compost pile. However, we cannot completely guarantee fly free performance due to the complex nature of composting processes. Dung flies are not likely to act as disease vectors because they are not usually attracted to food.



10. Q. Does it take much time to manage a NatSol compost toilet?

A. Really very little, but it is important to remember to check certain things on a regular basis. A set of management instructions will be provided with every installation.



11. Q. How is the finished compost emptied and what can be done with it?

A. For our "in-ground" toilets we supply a custom made shovel for emptying the compost through one of the front floor hatches. If the management instructions have been followed and if the resting vault has been left for a suitable period of time the compost should be pathogen free, odourless and quite pleasant to handle. It can be used in the garden for flowers, trees and shrubs but NatSol recommends that you do not use it on food crops except fruit trees and bushes.



12. Q. What are the vaults made from?

A. This depends on your situation. We can supply preformed vaults to be installed underground and vaults can also be constructed on site from masonry by your own builder to our specification.



13. Q. Can composting toilets be made suitable for wheelchair users?

A. Our COMPUS TWIN Full Access complies with current building regulations for wheelchair access.



14. Q. Do I need planning or building control approval?

A. It is often necessary to have planning and building control approval from the local authority before installing composting toilets. Although the responsibility for acquiring these consents rests with you, the client, we are happy to assist in acquiring them and have considerable experience in so doing. No local authority has so far refused.

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