Camping, Toilets, and Composting

It always amazes me when a YouTuber tours someone’s RV. They talk about everything the RV owner has done to create a homelike environment but leave the question of a toilet to the end if they even go there. It is amazing that we don’t like to discuss our pee and poo as if it is taboo. I’ve spoken to people, even big husky lumberjack guys, who admit that they can only ‘go #2 at their own toilet’ at home. I guess they suffer the painful urge until they get home from their camping trip. Geez!

Most people don’t have that ‘out of sight out of mind attitude’ and think nothing of pooping in a bucket or even squatting behind a bush. It’s all-natural, they say! Right on, but it is disgusting to ‘do your business’ behind a tree, if not illegal in most camping areas. We watched a young man on YouTube (One AdVanture at a Time) who was so disgusted after finding dozens of behind-the-tree toilets during a walk on a trail that he put on gloves and used s shovel to pick up heaps of you-know-what and placed them in bags for disposal later.

While he was placing them near a disposal bin, the Park Service showed up and took them off his hands. Yuk! It was disgusting for my wife and me to even watch as he felt compelled to clean it up, so his family could enjoy a walk in the forest.

My wife and I are committed to using an OGO Composting toilet, but This post is going to give you some alternatives and insights into disposing of human waste while camping.

Some Methods of Disposing of Human Waste
When camping in wilderness areas, it is important to follow Leave No Trace principles and properly dispose of human waste to protect the environment. One option for disposal is to use a portable toilet or “wag bag” system, which involves packing out all waste in a sealed bag. Another option is to bury waste in a “cathole” at least 6–8 inches deep and at least 200 feet away from water sources. Both of these basic, simple techniques give me the willies. From my time using ‘latrines’ growing up, I came to despise them. Typically, composting human waste is possible, but it requires specific conditions (high heat, specific microorganisms) and special equipment, it’s not recommended for wilderness camping nor would I call these methods even composting.

Water-less Camping Toilets
There are several alternatives to RV toilets that do not use water. Some of these options include:

1. Portable toilets: These are lightweight, compact toilets that can be easily transported and used while camping. They typically use a sealable bag or container to hold waste, which can be disposed of properly at a later time. This was our first device when we began camping as we researched a better way. The bucket technique is still widely used by many Van campers.
2. Chemical toilets: These toilets use chemicals such as formaldehyde or chlorine to break down waste, eliminating the need for water. The waste is typically stored in a sealed tank that can be emptied at a later time. I’m not sure, but I think I have seen RVs actually tow little toilet collectors behind their rigs to the dump station. You’ll need a double layer of rubber gloves and a hazmat mask for that technique. 
    
3. Dry toilets: These toilets use sawdust, ashes, or another dry material to cover the waste, reducing odors and the amount of liquid waste. When I researched toilets, I thought this was composting. Spreading a wee bit of something doesn’t begin or finish the composting process – it covers the smell!
    
4. Composting toilets: Composting toilets use natural processes to break down waste, typically using a combination of heat and microorganisms. The operative word is NATURAL. They don’t require water or chemicals, and the end product can be used as fertilizer. Half of our OGO receptacle for #2 waste is coco coir. Instead of covering the offending waste, it is tilled into a composting medium with a stirring motion, in the case of the OGO by an electronic stirring wand. By mixing, there is no smell, just as OGO told me.

The Best Camping Toilet Solution
Composting toilets are a popular alternative to traditional camping toilets that use water. Anyone who boondocks know the value of this method. Water is a very valuable commodity in the wilderness. The reason these composting toilets still remain fresh is that urine and faces are collected separately. Numbers 1 and 2 together make for a smelly #3. It’s amazing how composting toilets remove the smell, even though they all come with hoses for outdoor ventilation. We were told to wait a couple of weeks to see if we even needed to install the provided ventilation system – we didn’t!

Composting toilets can be divided into two main types: self-contained and central systems.
Self-contained composting toilets are portable and can be used in remote locations, such as camping sites or cabins. They typically use a combination of coconut coir, peat moss, sawdust, or other organic matter to absorb moisture and promote the breakdown of waste. These toilets have two small holding tanks that separate and store the waste, which must be emptied and removed periodically. OGO Toilets claim that one can make 25 or so deposits into the #2 tank before emptying. It’s a no-fuss solution!

While this article is about composting and camping, both a toilet and a system could be managed very well in a remote cabin. Central composting systems are typically used in permanent structures, such as yurts or tiny homes. These systems have a separate composting unit that is connected to the toilet. The waste is collected in the composting unit, which is designed to maintain the proper temperature and moisture levels for the composting process. My brother and his wife live in a small East Coast home with a traditional toilet. When they saw the OGO they asked if they could replace their home toilet – of course! This systemic approach could entail a collector in the basement for their purpose. The end product can be used as a fertilizer.

As a knowledgeable consumer, I have researched cam[ping toilets for some time before narrowing my search to composting toilets. After using one, (no I won’t be demonstrating) we approached OGO. Our OGO proudly sits between our driver and passenger seats in the cab of our ambulance. It is somewhat square, so friends often sit on it while we chat, not realizing it’s a toilet – ahh functional and simple!

Ohio-based OGO Toilets produce one product – a high-quality composting toilet.
If you buy an OGO Composting Toilet for your cabin, RV or boat, use my discount code ‘gbizzo50’ for $50 USD off the purchase