As humans, we’re genetically wired to try and get the best deal we can in any given situation. This makes sense when you think about our ancient ancestors on the plains hunting for food. The biggest or best prey weren’t always the best ‘deal’ for a hunter, they had to figure out which beast gave them the best chance of a successful hunt at the least amount of personal risk.

Why is continuous composting an excellent option?

A continuous system has the lowest maintenance of any composting toilet offerings.  As a rule of thumb. the larger the toilet, the larger the capacity which means the least maintenance. 

Elle wanted a system that was as environmentally friendly as possible. An off-grid composting system that required minimal power input from her solar system was the logical choice. "Originally I had another in house system that required too much maintenance, and the Clivus Multrum system was a far better choice for my set-up." 

 

WHAT WAS THE INITIAL REACTION FROM FAMILY? FRIENDS?

"It has been a diverse set of responses. Some people are surprised that it doesn't smell at all, and others have been surprised that the local council have allowed it. I've had some friends pull me aside quietly and asked me how to use it, which I expected. Overall, the response has been positive and most like the idea. 

Most people are curious about how the system works, and I've been happy to take the opportunity to give them a demo. I run educational events in my tiny home, so I use my spare unit to demonstrate how easily you can manage a composting toilet. Three people who attended the events had said that they would now consider composting toilets when they hadn't considered a composting toilet before. A great outcome!" - Elle  

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR LOO?

• I like knowing that I am saving water and keeping my footprint small. 
• This model requires less work to maintain than my previous toilet. I only have to change the storage unit approximately every eight months. 
• I like that the waste is stored outside of the home and that removing the waste doesn't require me to move the waste through my house.
• The low profile of this model works perfectly in a small house design. Space is at a premium.
• I like that it looks like a regular toilet. Some composting toilets look like composting toilets. The pedestal looks like a more traditional bathroom without compromising on style.
• I like that I am using a hemp industry byproduct in my system. 
• It may sound a little strange, but I really enjoy educating and inspiring people to think differently with something as simple as a toilet. It's often the little things that make the most significant impact on a project like mine. 

 

Wondering if it’s legal to install a composting toilet in Australia? We cover things like state and local laws along with Australian Standards in this article. 

Background

Situated 15 kilometres north-east of Port Douglas, the Low Isles comprise a four-acre coral cay surrounded by 55 acres of reef within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Area.

Low Isles is also a popular tourist destination and attracts thousands of visitors per year. Existing facilities on the island include a composting toilet installed 20+ years ago.  The existing facility is not coping with the visitor numbers and needs upgrading.

Low Isles is a highly sensitive site so any toilet system needed to have minimal impact on the site in order to preserve the integrity of the natural environment. 

Challenges

The existing toilet facility is not coping with the number of visitors to the island. A new facility is required that can cope with existing usage and future growth.

Low Isles is in a tropical cyclone area (Category 3) and can experience wind gusts up to 224kph.  

There is no electricity or water on the island, so any new installation had to be stand-alone. 

Low lsles is a remote site so the building kit had to be lightweight, easily transportable and easily assembled on-site with minimal equipment. 

The Island is surrounded by saltwater and is a highly corrosive environment. Therefore, the building, fixtures and fittings had to be non-corrosive and durable.  

Being a sand island, any new facility had to be 'self-cleaning' where possible and the stairs and floor material had to be non-slip.

Low Isles is an environmentally significant site. Therefore, any new facility had to utilise the existing building footprint and have minimal to no discharges to the environment when operational.

Solution

Ecoflo Wastewater Management supplied the complete kit with a local builder commissioned for the installation.

The complete kit included: 2 high capacity eco-friendly composting toilets - Clivus Multrum CM40 - with a design capacity of 80,000 visits per year. These are dry composting systems so there is no requirement for flush water.

A ‘Zero Discharge Facility’ incorporated into the design to create a ‘closed-loop’ system. The Facility is fully automated and operates using the supplied solar system.

Ecoflos’ standard 4 cubicle building module was used for this project. This was delivered to the Island as complete ‘flat-pack’ kit and included ‘marine grade’ stainless steel fasteners and Colorbond ULTRA sheeting. Highly durable fibre composite material (FRP) was used for all structural components. Slip-resistant FRP grating for the veranda area and stair treads was used to for safety and minimise sand buildup.

An FRP water tank stand with tank and the complete solar package was also supplied.