Dumping Waste, Bags or Composting Waste

[BelgianPup]

It sounds like many people are looking for the perfect answer for poop, as if, somewhere out there, they will find a way to make it just disappear into thin air. Well, guess what? That isn't going to happen.

Americans have been trained to Flush & Forget. Out of sight is out of mind. Here's how that really works...

Sewer systems: waste is washed down into pipes that lead to a treatment plant, where solids and liquids are separated and treated. The solids are often used as fertilizer for growing food, and the liquids are released into local waterways, many of which lead to the ocean.

Where there aren't sewers, septic tanks are used. Solids kind of settle to the bottom of the holding tank, and liquids (water, urine, and diluted parts of the solids) flow into the leach field, which drains back into the natural water supply.

None of it just goes away, although many people would like to think that.

• You can bury it in open land (like BLM land).
• You can bag it and put it in a dumpster, which will go to a landfill.
• You can take it to the dump/landfill yourself.
• You can take it to an RV dump station.
• You can dump it down a gas station toilet (tricky, at best -- it's easy to clog or overfill/overflow the toilet), or sneak it down a friend's toilet (same issues).

For those who think it's okay to dump a single bagged dog turd (large dog) in a dumpster, but not a week's worth of human ones, I suspect you're deluding yourselves. If you're only going into town once a week, where are you putting all of the rest of the dog turds?

 

[award]

I started out with a big portable flush toilet with holding tank. pita to dump it, rinse it etc.
Then I got a half sized one. Same issue, its is gross, but the smaller one with its small holding tank was easier to take into bathrooms. it still gross.
Then I started using the bucket and bag. Better is to use a p-jug at the same time to separate solids n liquids.
No different than diapers IMO. Every American was a baby and pooped in a diaper that was thrown in the landfill daily. If you make it to old age you might be doing it again too. Yes, this far outnumbers the few bucket-poopers in the vanlife world.
Let that thing dry out. If you are in an aired climate then it will dry quick, if on the east coast then it will not dry. Dried it can be burned or when you toss it in the trash it will have no odor at all.
I would rather put it in a landfill with other poo filled diapers than bury it in nature where it might get uncovered by someone trying to enjoy nature.
The toilet is best, so you can take your dried fruit and flush it of course when you get to civilization.

 

[doublegregg]

i don't agree that diapers are similar to vanners dumping bags of poo in dumpsters.... diapers generally go into...stix and brix garbage cans or dumpsters.. not some dumpster you run across in some town in god noes where... i really wouldn't blame people getting really pissed (no pun intended), and i mean super pissed ---- if they find someone dumping a big bag of human feces, cat pellets, what not.........jeezus.

i *figure* i'll be doing cat holes, but if i need to use the plastic bags, sawdust, etc --- i'm figuring i'll be trying to dump it far far away, on blm vacant land, where no one goes... no pun intended, yet again. gee, it's hard to get away from this...

one thing i'm worried about - i'm pretty conscientious, and if i go way way off, to dump my poo ------- i'm worried i may get lost. especially in the desert, where features are hard to navigate by, afaict.

i'm figuring i may be separating not only my pee, but also my tp, and then... struggling with the poo with sawdust, or what nots...

 

[WanderingRose]

This is off-topic, so please forgive, but I’ve been using the PocketEarth app for years, which tracks your exact location on real time and without internet,

I’m sure there are others out there.

No getting lost.

 

[StarryNights]

Y

i don't agree that diapers are similar to vanners dumping bags of poo in dumpsters.... diapers generally go into...stix and brix garbage cans or dumpsters.. not some dumpster you run across in some town in god noes where... i really wouldn't blame people getting really pissed (no pun intended), and i mean super pissed ---- if they find someone dumping a big bag of human feces, cat pellets, what not.........jeezus.

i *figure* i'll be doing cat holes, but if i need to use the plastic bags, sawdust, etc --- i'm figuring i'll be trying to dump it far far away, on blm vacant land, where no one goes... no pun intended, yet again. gee, it's hard to get away from this...

one thing i'm worried about - i'm pretty conscientious, and if i go way way off, to dump my poo ------- i'm worried i may get lost. especially in the desert, where features are hard to navigate by, afaict.

i'm figuring i may be separating not only my pee, but also my tp, and then... struggling with the poo with sawdust, or what nots...

L

 

[MotorVation]

Pucker up! The poop police are present!

 

[StarryNights]

This thread seems almost entirely from people who have never used a properly configured composting toilet for an extended period of time! Lots of opinions.

Ok, "Composting" may not be exactly the correct term, but the end product looks and smells like dirt; it is not a soggy, smelly mess. I would rate mine as one of the absolute best features of my van that enables weeks of no-concern off-grid use. Only consumable is Coconut husk - a compact 10 lb brick is enough for months. (Normal clay-based kitty litter doesn't work.) I get about 2 weeks of use, no smell, dumps into a grocery bag (I do double bag, however) and stores in garage smell-free until suitable trash facility found. A toddler will produce as much volume in harder to break-down disposable diapers in a couple of days!

Oh - and I built mine with all the features of the $900+ ones for under $100.

 

[GoingMobile]

This thread seems almost entirely from people who have never used a properly configured composting toilet for an extended period of time! Lots of opinions.

Ok, "Composting" may not be exactly the correct term, but the end product looks and smells like dirt; it is not a soggy, smelly mess. I would rate mine as one of the absolute best features of my van that enables weeks of no-concern off-grid use. Only consumable is Coconut husk - a compact 10 lb brick is enough for months. (Normal clay-based kitty litter doesn't work.) I get about 2 weeks of use, no smell, dumps into a grocery bag (I do double bag, however) and stores in garage smell-free until suitable trash facility found. A toddler will produce as much volume in harder to break-down disposable diapers in a couple of days!

Oh - and I built mine with all the features of the $900+ ones for under $100.

Thanks for the informative reply. Do you have pictures/diagrams/videos of your DIY version?

 

[StarryNights]

GoingMobile - I hesitate to send you a photo of my toilet. I built it 2 over years ago with an engineer friend and we made a urine diverter and other things that would be hard to duplicate. YouTube has lots of solutions. Watch some these videos and reviews of the Natures Head to get an idea of the principle of how they work. The real secret is you must not mix pee and poop; that will smell awful! Poop by itself quickly loses its stink, something I didn't believe until trying my setup in a tiny bathroom. I'd heard the smell vanishes faster than if one uses a conventional flush toilet. It is true!

Instant build: take a 5 gallon bucket put in a few inches of peat moss, coconut husk or sawdust (NOT kitty litter) and you will have the basic toilet - as long as you don't pee in it. Just sprinkle some coconut husk etc. on top of your business after done. Ok, you will want a urine diverter. There are some YouTube solutions that show you how to make one, but I think something like solutions at https://www.etsy.com/market/johnny_compost are better. Note there are a few models also some good instructions. These are individually 3D printed and rugged.

Vent fan: It is more to help dry the medium instead of odor control and will be more needed in humid locations. The better model from JohnnyCompost has a built-in port to attach a vent hose. You can just buy the diverter and source the rest of the components (hose, computer fan) locally. Add a snap-on toilet seat and you should come in under $100.

Commercial models have ability to mix the composting material after use, with Nature's Head recommending 15+ turns of their wheel after each use. I made one on mine, but it does add some complication.

I highly suggest you use a pee bottle as much as possible for #1. Guys can use something like a 64oz plastic juice bottle; gals will need a wider top bottle. MUCH easier to handle and discreetly empty than a 1-gallon jug attached to the toilet. Just make sure it has a good well sealing cap!

 

[Frood]

GoingMobile - I hesitate to send you a photo of my toilet. I built it 2 over years ago with an engineer friend and we made a urine diverter and other things that would be hard to duplicate. YouTube has lots of solutions. Watch some these videos and reviews of the Natures Head to get an idea of the principle of how they work. The real secret is you must not mix pee and poop; that will smell awful! Poop by itself quickly loses its stink, something I didn't believe until trying my setup in a tiny bathroom. I'd heard the smell vanishes faster than if one uses a conventional flush toilet. It is true!

Instant build: take a 5 gallon bucket put in a few inches of peat moss, coconut husk or sawdust (NOT kitty litter) and you will have the basic toilet - as long as you don't pee in it. Just sprinkle some coconut husk etc. on top of your business after done. Ok, you will want a urine diverter. There are some YouTube solutions that show you how to make one, but I think something like solutions at https://www.etsy.com/market/johnny_compost are better. Note there are a few models also some good instructions. These are individually 3D printed and rugged.

Vent fan: It is more to help dry the medium instead of odor control and will be more needed in humid locations. The better model from JohnnyCompost has a built-in port to attach a vent hose. You can just buy the diverter and source the rest of the components (hose, computer fan) locally. Add a snap-on toilet seat and you should come in under $100.

Commercial models have ability to mix the composting material after use, with Nature's Head recommending 15+ turns of their wheel after each use. I made one on mine, but it does add some complication.

I highly suggest you use a pee bottle as much as possible for #1. Guys can use something like a 64oz plastic juice bottle; gals will need a wider top bottle. MUCH easier to handle and discreetly empty than a 1-gallon jug attached to the toilet. Just make sure it has a good well sealing cap!

You should be able to get pelletized compressed coir at auto parts stores if you don't like the hassle of breaking up compressed coir blocks used for gardening. In automotive it's used to absorb spills of oil, fuel, etc.

 

[GoingMobile]

I watched a tiny house video yesterday. They had an incinerating toilet. That's a new one on me. Might be a bit dangerous in a vehicle. Perhaps a sideline mobile cremation business?

 

[JDelete]

I watched a tiny house video yesterday. They had an incinerating toilet. That's a new one on me. Might be a bit dangerous in a vehicle. Perhaps a sideline mobile cremation business?

Hmmm.... my crazy mind at work. I read another post concerning the future of gas powered vehicles and something about no more of them by 2035. So, what if, and this is a big what if, poop becomes the new fuel? Please, this is in very silly jest, but—what if someone comes up with this? Wouldn't that be the $hit! For extra milage, eat at Taco Bell!

Okay, sorry for taking this thread down the crapper.

 

[66788]

Thanks, and yes I'm not yet out there. Just noticing that businesses around where I am often have dumpsters locked up to prevent other people from using them. I'm trying to sort out best practices to avoid potential problems that could lead to becoming an unwelcome visitor as I travel. Sounds like you are finding [font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]appropriate [/font]places readily.

I noticed that when the dumpsters are locked up, people just toss their trash next to the dumpster. I guess the short sighted owners couldn't foresee that happening!

 

[WanderingRose]

Tho that is illegal most everywhere, so one wouldn’t want to be caught on camera doing that.

 

[NctryBen]

So, I think you bucket baggers should at least consider where you throw your bagged turds. While the analogy has credibility, the reality of it being like tossing a baby diaper is not equal. The diaper absorbs more then just the poop and pee... when wrapped up it does quite a lot to absorb the smell. And if it’s in a refuse container that isn’t dumped as frequently and temps get up there... whew, that’ll surely stink to high heaven.
Boy, toss in your garbage at Quartzsite in the LTVA... get a whiff of the dumpster as they get full... yikes! The outhouses are pretty bad too.
I gotta say, I use my cassette toilet. Was turned on to the happy camper treatment stuff. It hardly smells vs the stuff that tries to mask the smell. I still use a pee bottle most of the time. But not always the case. And I’m very impressed!

 

[RonDean]

So, I think you bucket baggers should at least consider where you throw your bagged turds. While the analogy has credibility, the reality of it being like tossing a baby diaper is not equal. The diaper absorbs more then just the poop and pee... when wrapped up it does quite a lot to absorb the smell. And if it’s in a refuse container that isn’t dumped as frequently and temps get up there... whew, that’ll surely stink to high heaven.
Boy, toss in your garbage at Quartzsite in the LTVA... get a whiff of the dumpster as they get full... yikes! The outhouses are pretty bad too.
I gotta say, I use my cassette toilet. Was turned on to the happy camper treatment stuff. It hardly smells vs the stuff that tries to mask the smell. I still use a pee bottle most of the time. But not always the case. And I’m very impressed!

If a composting toilet separates poo and pee I don't see the issue other than some people's sensibilities. Plain poo, mixed with cover material stinks less than most kitchen waste after a couple of days. Plus, I would contend it is no different than people dumping animal poo. I assume we still want them picking up after their pets. Pee should be mixed with water to reduce possible too high nitro and then it is actually a benefit to any plants it is poured on.

Canister toilets that mix the two STINK and require harmful chemicals to deal with odor and germs. Then you still have to find a place to flush that. Which, BTW, requires someone else processing it somewhere further down the line. All too often muni systems are overwhelmed and end up dumping raw sewage into bodies of water. I believe too many of us have avoided looking at the big picture for our own convenience.

If it is the dumpster that concerns some, they could dump the separated poo and pee into the same place people dump their chem toilets and avoid the chemicals while keeping our dumpsters pristine. I gave up on Canister toilets years ago and have never looked back.

 

[RonDean]

If a composting toilet separates poo and pee I don't see the issue other than some people's sensibilities. Plain poo, mixed with cover material stinks less than most kitchen waste after a couple of days. Plus, I would contend it is no different than people dumping animal poo. I assume we still want them picking up after their pets. Pee should be mixed with water to reduce possible too high nitro and then it is actually a benefit to any plants it is poured on.

Canister toilets that mix the two STINK and require harmful chemicals to deal with odor and germs. Then you still have to find a place to flush that. Which, BTW, requires someone else processing it somewhere further down the line. All too often muni systems are overwhelmed and end up dumping raw sewage into bodies of water. I believe too many of us have avoided looking at the big picture for our own convenience.

If it is the dumpster that concerns some, they could dump the separated poo and pee into the same place people dump their chem toilets and avoid the chemicals while keeping our dumpsters pristine. I gave up on Canister toilets years ago and have never looked back.

An afterthought... Does anyone smell the dried-out animal poop we find in the forest? NO! Because it doesn't stink once it drys out and composter toilets that allow this perform the same action.

 

[gizmotron]

Does anyone smell the dried-out animal poop we find in the forest?

Well, that solves if the bear poops in the woods question.

 

[NctryBen]

Haha... yeah, if you leave a dog turd long enough to dry (which isn’t long out in the desert sun) it doesn’t smell. Pick it up seconds after it hits the ground in a poo bag... smells forever it seems. I’m not against dropping a poop bag in a dumpster. But some Garbage receptacles close to picnic tables, or where people frequent like near gas pumps... some places don’t empty them real often.
My thinking is if people leave their poop where it is offensive your gonna have more rules and another check against van dwellers. Sadly, few effect many. I know of many who deposit their goods properly with no issues.

 

[RonDean]

I think it would be good to recognize we all must balance necessity with choice. In this case, it would be nice if poop just magically disappeared. Until then...

I have seen or experienced cartridge/black tank fails. It ain't pretty. Nor has it has made sense to me to have to move an entire vehicle to get rid of a few pounds of poop.

Dumping bucket/compost poop in an unacceptable place or manner would also be a fail. No matter what we do, there are ways to do it wrong. I think just pointing at how a few people do something improperly is a different conversation than one system vs another.