From wastestream to mainstream, a practical guide to composting toilet systems. Composting toilets are a key feature for local resilience, money saving, water conservation, resource recovery, septic system replacement, and an improved bathroom experience in rural and urban buildings. Essential Composting Toilets is a streamlined manual that takes a practical, how-to approach to composting toilet system selection, design, installation, and operation, while meeting universal health and safety objectives. Drawing from existing regulations and research, this book dispels myths and provides tools to assess various systems. It includes: Easily-understood drawings, plans, and photos Coverage of all main composting toilet systems Selection criteria including site considerations, urine separation pros/cons, renovations/new builds, ventilation, servicing, and composting details Design and installation details. Offering a professional approach accessible to DIYers, homeowners, designers, building consultants, water conservation advocates, and regulators, Essential Composting Toilets provides key information for redesigning toilet systems anywhere in the world.

Composting toilet systems and other ecological wastewater management methods are emerging as viable and cost-saving alternatives to wastewater disposal systems worldwide. Find out why-and how to choose, install and maintain them!In this book, you'll find:ʺ Descriptions of more than 40 systems-both manufactured and site-built-and their sourcesʺ Information on compatible toilet stools and installing micro-flush toiletsʺ Tips on choosing, planning, installing and maintaining your composting toilet systemʺ The experiences of owner-operators worldwideʺ What you should know about graywater and its treatmentʺ Regulations and advice about getting your system approved. David Del Porto has sold and serviced thousands of several models and brands of composting toilet systems since 1972. He has also helped write regulations and performance standards for these systems, and has designed composting toilet and graywater systems for Greenpeace, government agencies and for developing countries. 25 years of his research and experience is detailed in the book.,D.

A classic is back in print! One of the favorite books of 1970s back-to-the-landers, The Toilet Papers is an informative, inspiring, and irreverent look at how people have dealt with their wastes through the centuries. In a historical survey, Van der Ryn provides the basic facts concerning human wastes, and describes safe designs for toilets that reduce water consumption and avert the necessity for expensive and unreliable treatment systems. The Toilet Papers provides do-it-yourself plans for a basic compost privy and a variety of graywater systems.

Septic systems for handling sewage have to be maintained but little information is available on the subject. This manual explains how they work, the potential problems that owners often encounter and how to repair them when they go awry.

From the author of The Humanure Handbook, an expert guide to compost toilets you can build yourself The Compost Toilet Handbook is an illustrated instructional manual explaining how to make, use, and manage compost toilets, which are waste-free toilets that rely on the biological process of composting to recycle toilet material. It is based on the author's 40+ years of first-hand experience with "composting as a sanitation alternative." The 254-page indexed book has 161 pages of color photos including 203 photos or illustrations from 13 countries where compost toilet systems are in use. The 2nd half of the book includes case study reviews of compost toilet projects in African prisons and schools; Haitian schools, orphanages, and villages; schools in Mozambique; neighborhoods in Mongolia; a school and village in Nicaragua; and an ecovillage in the US. Along with the nuts and bolts of compost toilet construction, use, and management, the book covers emergency preparedness, cold weather composting, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, health, and safety.