How Does a Waterless or Composting Toilet Work?
The basic principle behind this toilet is that it allows faeces to dry and then turn into compost. The facility is waterless, free of chemicals and – say proponents – also odourless, unlike pit and VIP latrines. Certain composting toilets use fans to circulate air and increase microbial activity in the facility; others require the user to rotate a drum within the toilet to encourage aerobic breakdown of waste. All waterless toilets require eventual removal of composted waste, although a full size facility can keep functioning for years if the tank volume is sufficiently large. Smaller systems may need to have solids removed several times a year. African Sanitation's toilet works by retaining faeces on a grid that is suspended between the toilet bell and toilet base. Air within the toilet bell is heated by urine, which creates an upward flow from underneath the toilet grid that passes through and over the solids. The toilet bell and drawer allow for the further inflow of oxygen rich
