Modern toilets take two valuable resources, water and nitrogen rich human waste, and combine the two to create a problem: sewage. In a dry or “humanure” toilet, you cover your deposits with a layer of non-toxic sawdust. Once the toilet is full you dump the contents into your outdoor humanure pile and compost the waste at high temperatures for at least a year. You can then use that compost as fertilizer for plants. The ubiquitous five gallon bucket is the most commonly used humanure receptacle. Most humanure toilet designs I’ve seen such as the ones on Joseph Jenkin’s website make use of wood which I’m not crazy about in the wet environment of a bathroom. Even with a coat of paint wood gets grungy. Alternatively, you can buy plastic camping toilet seats that will clamp on to a five gallon bucket but they have, in my opinion, an unacceptable wobble when you sit on them. For these reasons I designed a sturdy dry toilet making use of a scavenged milk crate. Even if the idea of humanure grosses you out (and it’s definitely the most controversial subject in our book), our milk crate toilet would be great for camping, emergencies or your remote cabin.
Putting this toilet together takes just a few minutes. First, find a milk or beer crate and a five gallon bucket. Make sure that the crate you use is large enough to accommodate the bucket. And note, I know of someone arrested for scavenging beer crates behind a strip club, of all places, so be discreet or ask for permission. Incidentally, when the police finished booking the beer crate scavenger the officer placed the paperwork in . . . a scavenged beer crate doubling as an in box!
Attaching the Toilet Seat to the Crate
Next, find a toilet seat. Forage one or pick up a cheap seat at your local hardware store. In an emergency situation, you could also use the one on your regular toilet and simply bolt it back on when the zombie threat has passed and the sewage pipes are flowing again. To attach the seat to the milk crate simply position the plastic bolts and nuts that come with the lid in the center and on the short end of the bottom of the crate. Don’t over tighten.
Cutting Out a Hole in the Crate
Place the bucket so that it will be appropriately positioned under the seat. Mark the outline of the bucket on the crate with a knife and cut out a circle with a jigsaw or keyhole saw so that the bucket will fit through the former bottom of the crate.
Attaching Legs to the Crate with Cable Ties
Cut four pieces of scrap wood (we found some old table legs for a more finished look), and attach them to each corner of the crate so that the bucket projects about a 1/2-inch above the level of the crate. The legs will be approximately 13 1/2-inches. Make sure that the toilet seat will fit snugly against the top of the bucket. We attached the legs with cable ties, but you could also use screws or bolts.
Moving the Spacer
The last step is to move the spacer on the bottom of the lid, so that it does not hit the top of the bucket. Pop it out with a knife or chisel, drill another hole, and reposition.
Your humanure toilet is now done and ready for use. Simply lift the crate off the bucket when it comes time to empty the contents. Follow the detailed instructions on Joseph Jenkin’s website to learn how to properly compost human waste.
This toilet is simple to make, easy to clean, and is made of readily available materials. I think this particular design will be useful in emergencies and, when combined with Jenkin’s excellent humanure methods, would prevent the dangerous raw sewage nightmares of the sort we saw in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. There is a creative commons licence on all the text and photos on this website so feel free to translate and disseminate this post widely. We’re “open source” here at Homegrown Evolution. If you make an improvement in the design please let us know.
Really, really, really could have done without that last photo.
it’s just sawdust
Great idea.
Looks easy. ha ha. Does the Homegrown household recycle all your human waste? I don’t recall reading about your personal experiences with that, and would love to.
Here in Chicago, scavenged milk crates are often used as basketball hoops. So you’re effectively putting Poop in a Hoop. Thanks, Erik, for this inspirational post.
@anoymous:
Mrs. Homegrown here on that kinda nasty last photo. I just have to say that splatter you see up the side is not what you might think it would be but rather a permanent stain leftover from the bucket’s former (and rather mysterious) incarnation.
I’ve complained about this bucket to Mr. Homegrown in the past, my argument being that if we must poop in a bucket, let it at least be a nice bucket.
But in his flush of triumph following the milk crate epiphany, no funky stain would stand in the way of his posting this project ASAP.
We’re getting a new bucket. A black one, I think.
haha you two are wonderful! love the milk crate design. have to say our wooden box frame is still looking sweet after 9 years, but we have gone through 4-5 buckets… they just don’t age gracefully. merde
Hmmm you had me until the last photo…ha-ha.
Big Al
I can’t recommend enough the following article on humanure composting:
http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2008/04/29/humanure-composting/
This blogger not only did this for two years, she did it in a high density area with neighbors and the neighbors had no idea. (She even asked, sort of.) Plus, her garden loved it the next year.
(hope the link works, I typed it, for some reason the comment box won’t let me cut and paste.)
-Debs
Thank you so much for sharing this with us! I’m inspired to do the same.
Funny, I have been mulling this over in my head for a while. I need to just break down and buy the book. I had one crazy idea but nobody to bounce it off of:
The waste is supposed to be composted for a year – could this theoretically be sped up by increasing the heat? I’ve been half-heartedly dabbling with solar ovens lately; could a solar composter work to speed the process? If it’s just a a matter of reaching a certain temperature… but I’m probably missing something. We have a local equestrian center that cooks the stable muckings up to 150 degrees and then sells it as compost. They do this to kill any weed seeds that might slip through, but could human poo be “cooked” too? yum.
Go to http://humanurehandbook.com/downloads/Humanure_Handbook_all.pdf and download it for free colleeen
Good job, people! My only addition would be a toilet paper holder attached to one side.
Good idea. I’d much rather be compositing it than it getting into the (drinking) water supply.
This would be better still with a urine-separating seat (check out separett.com); it’s the urine that causes strong latrine odors, and the urine is useful fertilizer (nitrogen, phospohorous) immediately (some counties in Sweden actually require urine-separating toilets). Also check out oursoil.org, to see how Wendell Berry’s “elegant solution” is being put to use in Haiti, to rebuild the soil.
you can download the book for free:
http://humanurehandbook.com/downloads/Humanure_Handbook_all.pdf
First Anonymous and GYMONR—You both have a phobia of sawdust? So sorry to hear it.
We picked up a bucket with toilet seat lid sold as a camping port-a-loo for emergencies. The nice thing about it is the color: it’s black. No stains, no muss.
this is such a great idea!!! the only thing that would make it better was if the crate were an oval or circle too (i have had the misfortune of using a thunder box) and it would make it much more comfortable!
once i get my own place, i am going to give this a full hearted test run!!!
Beautiful! This totally could be viewed as art with multiple messages and ideas coming off from it! ie. Recycling, anti-plastic, water conservation, anti-industrial, anti-consumerism, etc. Good job!
hmmmm, I’ve moved to using a cheap crumbled poultry food for my cat litter – works fine. Wonder if I could compost the cat litter, too, or use the (unused
) poultry food as the covering material in a toilet – not as cheap as dirt and plant material from the yard, but at $10 for 50 lbs, it’s not outrageous, and for the cats a lot cheaper than regular litter.
@catlover – I use wood pellets for my cat litter, and when they turn to sawdust after the urine hits them, I store it in buckets outside and let the ammonia release, then use it for the compost. It works very well as a cover for the loo, as well as cover for kitchen scraps. Your poultry food may work in a similar way.
It’s a piece of art,
A home for more
than just a fart!
Love it. I can’t wait to have my own place to make my own.
Great work.
@Anonymous w/ Urine Separation comment:
After reading the Humanure Handbook, my understanding is that it’s best to leave it in. It adds moisture, and does some other sciency stuff I can’t remember the specifics on, making it better for the garden and compost in the long run.
veja isso
Hi
We installed our dry toilet about two months ago. We went for a wooden seat and surround for more comfort! Nice and warm in the winter. We are currently using a standard bucket destined for adults to use as a ‘nightjar’. It holds 5 gallons but with five of us using the toilet I end up making two trips to the compost heap per day! I am looking out for a bigger container…..
I hope my husband makes one of those toilette for out side for the grand kids so they don’t pee in my pool.