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10-18-2018, 01:01 PM
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#1
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
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Composting toilets; what to do with them?
So, if you're on the road or boon docking and you have a composting toilet...
1) how often do you have to empty it?
2) where to empty it?
As I understand it, it's very solid waste (compared to a black tank) and you can't exactly pump it like the black tanked RVs. So, legally, how do you get rid of it?
I think I'd rather compost than black tank but I don't know all the pros and cons of either. I'm going to start to make these kinds of decisions soon.
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10-18-2018, 01:19 PM
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#2
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,349
Year: 1993
Coachwork: bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins, Allison AT1545
Rated Cap: 2
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the legal way is to dump in your compost pile, on your land, for use in your garden.
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10-18-2018, 01:28 PM
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#3
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turf
the legal way is to dump in your compost pile, on your land, for use in your garden.
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And if you are on the road for 4 months straight and home is 3,000 miles away?
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10-18-2018, 02:17 PM
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#4
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,708
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brewerbob
And if you are on the road for 4 months straight and home is 3,000 miles away?
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I say chuck it in the nearest trash can... the urine is the biggest issue.. and im thinking you could flush that down the drain at a rest area?
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10-18-2018, 02:29 PM
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#5
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid
.. the urine is the biggest issue.. and im thinking you could flush that down the drain at a rest area?
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That you can dump at the pumping station legally.
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10-18-2018, 03:34 PM
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#6
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Weeki Wachee, FL
Posts: 3,056
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: Cummins 5.9
Rated Cap: 72
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Urine jug can be dumped in any toilet. Rest stops, park facilities, etc. Solid waste can be throws out with regular trash as long as it's properly bagged. Hardly different from tossing a dirty diaper, just a higher quantity.
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10-18-2018, 06:20 PM
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#7
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 1,269
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: HDX
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 passenger
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When I was a driver, I dumped my jug in the weeds. No one complained.
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10-18-2018, 06:53 PM
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#8
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,762
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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They need to be emptied very regularly.
This is a pretty realistic video that has lots of honest info about em-
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10-18-2018, 07:20 PM
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#9
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,349
Year: 1993
Coachwork: bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins, Allison AT1545
Rated Cap: 2
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why would you get a composting toilet if you are not planning on composting?
this is my pet peeve. i hope whoever perpetuates the composting toilet in a bus theory rots in hell.
watch the 'gone with the winns' video on disposing their toilet and you can be cute like them leaving **** bombs in dumpsters across the country.
then i would check the local laws where and when you decide to dump.
black tanks and dump stations are the normal, safe, sanitary way to dispose of your waste.
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10-18-2018, 07:30 PM
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#10
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 1,269
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: HDX
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 passenger
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Turf, if you had cats (just as an example), how do you dispose of THEIR waste? Do you take it to your trash can and hope the city hauls it off? Or do you dig an even bigger cat hole to dispose of the solid waste and post HAZMAT signs all around it?
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10-18-2018, 07:38 PM
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#11
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,762
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turf
why would you get a composting toilet if you are not planning on composting?
this is my pet peeve. i hope whoever perpetuates the composting toilet in a bus theory rots in hell.
watch the 'gone with the winns' video on disposing their toilet and you can be cute like them leaving **** bombs in dumpsters across the country.
then i would check the local laws where and when you decide to dump.
black tanks and dump stations are the normal, safe, sanitary way to dispose of your waste.
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There is no "composting" toilet. "Composting" is a marketing term because no one's lining up to buy a "litter box" for a thousand bucks.
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10-18-2018, 08:02 PM
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#12
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,349
Year: 1993
Coachwork: bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins, Allison AT1545
Rated Cap: 2
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that was a pretty good video.
i have cats, i bag their litterbox. and dispose of it in my own dumpster or one i pay to use.
common courtesy keeps me from dumping said waste at travel stops, gas pumps, rest areas and the like. i don't know when i saw a diaper last, but thats is never pleasant.
the thought of composting toilets as a trend in RVs is disturbing. you may choose to clean up ****, but to leave the chance that someone else may come in contact with it downstream is disturbing.
with a black tank, you dispose directly into treatment facility. these compost bombs means that at least 1, maybe 2 more people have to deal with your waste. the trashman and possibly the service worker change can liners.
if you accidently got hit by a cat turd when a can liner broke, well that's just a bad day. if you got tagged by a human compost pile that broke through a liner, you'd remember that for the rest of your life.
there is a difference
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10-18-2018, 08:13 PM
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#13
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Ashtabula, Ohio
Posts: 1,494
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E 7.3L
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If you are going to poo or pee in any type of container, you eventually have to deal with it.
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10-19-2018, 01:26 AM
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#14
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Whidbey Island, WA.
Posts: 1,109
Year: 1984
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 3208 na boat anchor
Rated Cap: 2
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I would just like to differentiate between a real composting toilet and a 5 gallon pail with wood chips. A real composting toilet makes compost, the pail is more like a human litter box. We throw our cat litter in the trash, so I guess emptying your pail in the trash would be the equivalent. Just seems a bit gross. Me, I got a black tank. Kinda gross in it's own way too.
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10-19-2018, 05:41 AM
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#15
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,762
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bus-bro
I would just like to differentiate between a real composting toilet and a 5 gallon pail with wood chips. A real composting toilet makes compost, the pail is more like a human litter box. We throw our cat litter in the trash, so I guess emptying your pail in the trash would be the equivalent. Just seems a bit gross. Me, I got a black tank. Kinda gross in it's own way too.
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Nah, unless you poo in it once a year its not composting.
It takes a long time to make real compost.
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10-19-2018, 06:31 AM
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#16
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptSquid
Turf, if you had cats (just as an example), how do you dispose of THEIR waste? Do you take it to your trash can and hope the city hauls it off? Or do you dig an even bigger cat hole to dispose of the solid waste and post HAZMAT signs all around it?
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Dogs are far worse. Or at least the gf's dogs vs my cats. I dunno what's wrong with my one cat. He craps mummified tootsie rolls. It's like he eats only dry hay. For an indoor cat it's not even possible.
And the gf's one dog... OMG. That dog is full of it. Never seen a dog crap 3 times on the same 15 minute walk before. Both dogs stink to high hell and it's just that little baggie keeping it away from the garbage man.
Quote:
Originally Posted by brokedown
Urine jug can be dumped in any toilet. Rest stops, park facilities, etc. Solid waste can be throws out with regular trash as long as it's properly bagged. Hardly different from tossing a dirty diaper, just a higher quantity.
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If "ripeness" is the measuring stick, then nothing beats a diaper. I'm soooo glad those days are over!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
They need to be emptied very regularly.
This is a pretty realistic video that has lots of honest info about em-
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I'll check it out. Thx.
Quote:
Originally Posted by turf
why would you get a composting toilet if you are not planning on composting?
this is my pet peeve. i hope whoever perpetuates the composting toilet in a bus theory rots in hell.
watch the 'gone with the winns' video on disposing their toilet and you can be cute like them leaving **** bombs in dumpsters across the country.
then i would check the local laws where and when you decide to dump.
black tanks and dump stations are the normal, safe, sanitary way to dispose of your waste.
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I guess I would fit into your peev then. I don't want to haul around a second 40-80 gallon tank. Nor have to buy a second tank if I don't have to.
I'm not saying I wouldn't compost ever but if I'm driving thru Yellowstone, the rangers might not like me leaving a big ole bucket in the bushes and telling them not to worry about it; it's compost.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
Nah, unless you poo in it once a year its not composting.
It takes a long time to make real compost.
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Just playing devil's advocate but they are indeed composting toilets. Composting is a chemical reaction. In 2 day, 2 weeks, or even 2 months, you do NOT have compost (yet) but it is definitely composting. Grammar is a b1tch.
Some BS 10th grade "Life" class that I had to take, one question was "how old after you eat does it take for things to go south for tooth decay?'. Everyone in the class was guessing. A day, 12 hours, 8 hrs, etc. Um, hello people. It's enzymes and a chemical reaction; about 30 seconds. The text book said 2 minutes.
The only other thing I remember about that worthless class is drug users lose their sense of taste so they use more pepper and salt. Salt is bad for you. "So, the take away from this is don't use heroine because the salt will give you hyper tension?" The teacher didn't like me much. This kind of stuff was actually in the text book. I wish I knew who wrote it and who thought it was a good idea to have a class based on it. Two dudes/dudettes that need a serious slap in the skull.
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10-19-2018, 07:20 AM
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#17
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turf
why would you get a composting toilet if you are not planning on composting?
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Oh and the video mentions another reason that I forgot to mention which is a BIG one for me. A composting toilet doesn't freeze. I wouldn't want a black tank taking up internal space. I don't want weather to be a determining where and when I go. I want to go to the Canadian Rockies in the dead of winter if I so wish.
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10-19-2018, 08:00 AM
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#18
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: The West
Posts: 1,210
Year: 1998
Coachwork: MCI
Chassis: 102 EL3
Engine: DD 60
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I am so glad you used the word "legal" in your post Bob - well done!!
A very tiny bit of research will reveal that tossing it (human waste - not compost) in the trash is NOT ok - at least in most places. That said, I don't know the answer or the laws in every locale. It looked like a horrible solution to me for my lifestyle so I stopped investigating right there.
This article (from the NFS) is one of many that are similar - last couple paragraphs.
https://www.nps.gov/cany/learn/news/news0801513.htm
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10-19-2018, 08:29 AM
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#19
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Almost There
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Washington State
Posts: 82
Year: 2001
Coachwork: International
Chassis: Amtran
Engine: DT466E
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Hi,
Get a toilet with a urine diverter so it goes into the gray tank and the solids go into the trash. Don't se why everyone makes a big deal about it as most of them are swinging around green bags of poo from their dogs every day!
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10-19-2018, 08:49 AM
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#20
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 6,401
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE (A3RE)
Engine: Cummins ISC (8.3)
Rated Cap: 72
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Before I installed my composting toilet in my home I checked with the garbage collection company to find out if it was OK to put human waste in the garbage.
They told me that they didn't encourage it but they did allow as long as it was packaged to prevent secondary contact. The same applies to animal feces.
When I did install the composting toilet, I elected to FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS and emptied the contents about once a week into a compost bin to finish. When the process is complete, the compost is used on NON FÒOD plants.
After living full time for almost 7 years with a black tank and two years with a composting toilet I strongly prefer the composting toilet over having a black tank.
I have some suspicion that some of the folks that are exerting the most energy trying to talk you out of a composting toilet have never lived with one.
Isnt it awesome the we get to build our buses just the way that we want them. Flushing, composting or none at all.
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