Composting Toilets

Composting toilets are a type of wastewater treatment system that uses little to no water and generally do not require a connection to a municipal city sewer line or septic system. They provide an enclosed environment to allow the natural aerobic decomposition process.

People buy composting toilets for many reasons. Some may be looking for an alternative system that alleviates or minimizes the need for water to flush the toilet. Others may seek a system that produces a finished compost that can be handled without requiring direct environmental discharge. Whatever your reasons and whatever system you choose, keep a critical point in mind — make sure that the system you select will do what it claims to do.

How can you be sure the composting toilet you purchase will be adequate?

NSF Certified vs. Meets NSF/ANSI Standards

Composting toilets that NSF evaluates by NSF/ANSI Standard 41: Non-Liquid Saturated Treatment Systems must do more than just pass a test. NSF-certified systems are verified to meet six requirements:

• The toilet system can handle the capacity for an extended period, plus occasional overload.
• The toilet system has no offensive odors.
• The composted output has been demonstrated to meet the required bacterial content levels. Advertising, literature, and labeling are not misleading.
• Products undergoing testing are not accessible to the manufacturer.
• Lab test results are confirmed by parallel testing of toilet systems operating in the field.

Look for the NSF Mark

NSF certifies the composting toilet products through a comprehensive evaluation process, assuring they perform as claimed. Look for the NSF mark on the product to ensure that your composting toilet is independently certified to meet strict public health standards for design and performance.