Composting Toilet vs Regular Toilet: How To Choose The Ultimate Toilet

Composting Toilet vs Regular Toilet

Are you reluctant to choose whether composting toilet vs regular toilet and you might want to cut down the water consumption by using a water-saving toilet? The best composting toilet is probably in your purchasing list, but you might be unsure about buying one as well.

In order to help you with this decision, we decided to compare and contrast composting toilet vs regular toilet to point out their difference for you.

What are Composting Toilets?

Composting toilets are toilets that after collecting your waste, they will compost it into soil-absorbable substance, not using a plumbing system to gather everything into a sewage grid or a dirty system. You just have to take out the dry compost from the toilet several times a year.

composting toilet vs regular toilet
Source: gtzecosan

Types of composting toilets

There are many sizes, gadgets, and extensions that you can choose to add to your composting toilet, but generally, they are classified into two main categories – Split System and Self Contained (also known as all-in-one).

#Split Systems

These composting toilets have two sections: the ‘pedestal’ above the floor and the ‘tank’ below. You will deal with your business on the pedestal which is like a seat, and all the waste will be stored in the tank, ready to go through the composting process.

Places that have accessible space underground like homes, national parks, clubhouses, outhouses, sports club, etc. are suitable for installing split systems toilets. They usually have a larger containing ability and therefore, are built in bathrooms where many people will be using.

# Self-Contained Systems

This type of toilet is an all in one system that, different from the split one, has joined pedestal and tank in one system. For homes that are not spacious or do not have an underground area for a container, self-contained system toilets are recommended. They are popular in tiny or small houses, RVs, and motorhomes, caravans, boats, or single-story homes built on concrete slab.

Price

Depending on their complexity, commercial composting toilets cost approximately from $1,500 to $8,000. There are a lot of designs available online, and homeowners can as well build their own composting toilet systems. If recycled materials are involved, apart from the time it takes to construct and install, little or no money is needed for installation.

Traditional toilets, despite ranging from $100 to $2000 only, will cost you extra monthly water bills. The cost is different by region and season, but in Pittsburgh, the average amount paid by residents is %50 per month.

Installation

Installing a normal flush toilet can be either super easy or really challenging, depending on your skills.  On the other hand, a composting toilet will be easier for you to install, especially if you’re about to have a self-contained one.

Most composting toilets are placed above the waste chambers, directly connected. Waste is then, mixed with sawdust, wood chips, or other dry components to absorb moisture and reach the ideal carbon-nitrogen ratio.

With time and the right combination o