Lady campers, would you use an eco/composting loo at a camp site? If not, why?

[theparkkeeper]

Should I spend money on conventional flush WCs to improve my campsite or would it be a wise move to only add decent compost loos?

We tried a basic compost loo many years back and got mixed feedback and problems with women not using them properly (non separation of waste type). Men seemed to be better users (seperate, conventional urinals and solids only facilities).

Last season, a number of customers actually suggested that we get some compost loos going

The type of compost loo I'm thinking of is supposedly smell free but it does have the complication of 2 "aiming" zones for liquid and solid waste (aka pee and poo/paper). See photo for the type of arrangement.

If you stayed at a camp site that had compost loos, would you see it as a plus or a negative - or neither.

Would you use a "pee only" loo (conventional loo seat, no need to aim but no solids other than paper allowed).

There will still be a conventional WC option but at the moment, we get queues which understandably causes complaints.

We are adults only - so no children under 16.

Before anyone asks - no we don't compost close to the pitches. The waste will be taken away and used on a seperate, private garden.

I'm looking for the opinions of tent and tourer caravan users.

Thanks

Yes - they are by far the better of all the loo options. Particularly at places like Glastonbury.

I have no problem with composting loos as long as they are clean and proper hand washing is available but forget about separation of urine and faeces—it is just not practical.

Also please take into account the disabled and children both of whom camp.
The separate section loo would not work for kids they don't have enough reach so to speak

I like the idea of eco friendly loos. But 51% of users ie women and girls can’t accurately direct their wee. So that’ll be a no from this “lady camper”.

if ever I have seen a product designed by and for men, it’s that!

Mine both fall together. The wee kind of makes it's way backwards before falling!

I’ve used them before and don’t mind them, but thanks to a birth injury aiming poo is pretty tricky for me. For wee it’s fine - it goes where it’s meant to!

the campsite I stayed at was absolutely spotless, and the toilets were well explained and meticulously maintained. No smell at all.

portaloos on the the other hand are absolutely rank.

The long drop type are fine, but not a separation style - my anatomy means I cannot aim my urine at all and it often sprays out rather than streams (and frequently goes backwards too).

Compost toilets are best for remote, infrequently used campsites in proper wilderness conditions. They’re really not for the high use campsites covering a density populated island. You’re going to cart raw sewage to a “separate garden”?! Really? And where will that raw sewage go when it rains? local river and then beach?

The people suggesting them really have no idea regarding the environmental and health hazards caused by raw sewage and have been reading articles regarding places where you do real tent camping.

Don’t get compost toilets. It’s a bad idea.

I would use one if the site was amazing. But I'd rather a flush. Both options need to be checked regularly and spotless imo!

I’m going to say it again, because I’m so aghast. Has the man person who designed that ever seen, or even thought about, female anatomy? Absolutely bloody ridiculous.

Speaking from personal experience the chances of guests complying with those requirements are zero.

My holiday cottage has a septic tank and Victorian plumbing l and can only cope with human waste and toilet paper and preferably not the heavy quilted sort.

At least twice a year it blocks due to guests flushing all sorts down it despite a little reminder above the cistern. Last time it was J cloths.

Go for something as straightforward as possible and still expect guests to get it wrong. I would fully expect at least some sanitary protection products to be deposited in one which ever type of earth closet you go for.

I am Ok/fine with idea of using compost toilets along as they are maintenence on regular basis,

I have used them at New Age Festivals a while/well what seems a long time ⌛️ ago,

and at Regeneration days events with a well known environmental pressure group.

I think that some people are just Wary of using them a bit/somewhat as dont encounter these types of toilets only at Speacial events

I prsawefer smell of sawdust compost than normal camping type toilets, less odour and less mess with these types of toilets.

We actually have a composting loo. So, yes, it wouldn’t necessarily bother me at all. The separate liquid solid issue is an absolute non-issue in practice.

However, it would depend entirely on the sort of composting loo it was. Ours has a built in extraction fan so there are zero smells in the loo, unlike a normal WC.

This is the type we have.

Typo spelling

I prefer the smell of compost toilets than normal 😳 flush camping toilets,

By non-issue do you mean it doesn't need to be separated?

Yes, it does need to be separated. I did initially have reservations but it came highly recommend with lots of positive reviews. I do need to shuffle about a bit to make sure everything goes where it is supposed to, but it’s second nature now.

Separating is the key to keeping the pong down and fast composting. When you mix liquid and solid, that’s when it gets really nasty. All you get is an inoffensive musty smell from the flue. It smells a bit like uncooked potatoes.

I’m not sure that I’d want to have the responsibility for looking after dozens at a camp site. That’s a lot of poo, and it takes roughly six months to compost.

Women can't not pee if we are trying to poo as well... we have to relax all muscles to go... this wouldn't work.

Women can't not pee if we are trying to poo as well... we have to relax all muscles to go... this wouldn't work.

I can assure you it does.

My only experience of a compost loo wasn’t great as it was used by men, women and children and the men and boys did not aim well! It was also a “throw sawdust down the hole afterwards” one which meant it smelt quite strongly as well.
Yours looks a bit more civilised, so it wouldn’t necessarily put me off.

I’ve been to several campsites with compost toilets. In my experience it mostly hinges on how often they are cleared out. I’ve used the separating type and they’re easy enough - you just sit and wee, and the wee goes down the front part of the loo, and if you poo it goes down into the long drop sawdust bit. Then you sprinkle sawdust down the drop, and we sluiced around the wee zone with a small watering can.

However, even on a small campsite with a handful of mostly well behaved families, it still had a couple of crisis points where someone had missed with the sawdust and it all clogged up the wee zone. Easily done if a child is using it. And after a couple of days the sawdust mound and its contents got dangerously high and you could often clearly see the prev person’s offerings. I am pretty non squeamish but that’s not great. So there’s a lot of hands on emptying them out at busy times.

I was also glad i didn’t have a period at the same time.

Compost toilets don’t put me off - these days they often go hand in hand with the low key, fire pits allowed, dark skies type campsites we like - but I do prefer going into a warm lit room at the dead of night if that’s an option, and the sinks tend to be under cover as well in normal loos, which is nicer in bad weather.

And to add - I think “wee only” loos would be a disaster. I often don’t know which will happen till I sit down! And people would definitely screw up. Have a simple gents urinal if you want it wee only, but would be too annoying for the ladies arrangements I think. The separating ones are fine.

And after a couple of days the sawdust mound and its contents got dangerously high and you could often clearly see the prev person’s offerings.

On ours there is a spring loaded screen that swings out of the way when you sit down and swings back as you stand up.

I wouldn’t want to use a loo where I had to shuffle around a bit (as PP who has one stated) to make sure everything is separated. Even more if i was on my period as I tend to have clots and a fair bit of blood comes along with poo so I would be worried about messing it up.