An Introduction to Incineration Toilets
An incineration toilet is a toilet in which waste products, urine and excrement, are incinerated at a high temperature, leaving only an insignificant amount of ash.
The waste is burned in an enclosed combustion chamber, and the resulting gases are expelled outside the room through a separate vent pipe. In contrast with other toilet systems, incineration toilets constitute a total waste solution, eliminating all waste on site, without the need for transportation elsewhere or processing over time until safely released or removed.
When used properly, quality incineration toilets are odorless, hygienic and safe, providing an experience similar to usual water-based toilet systems. One simply inserts a simple bowl liner, uses the toilet as usual then presses a button or lever to evacuate and incinerate the waste. Quality incineration toilets exist with the necessary safety and hygiene protections to be suitable for families with children and pets.
Available around the world for decades, incineration toilets are a commonly used alternative in mountain cabins, remote areas, tiny homes, off-grid structures and other residential and commercial applications without easy access to public utilities. Since incineration toilets do not require the installation of a water supply or costly septic systems, and do not demand ongoing and messy work to process waste, their slightly higher unit price is heavily offset by lower maintenance over time, providing a substantially lower total cost of ownership than other solutions, both in terms of money and headache.
Several types of incineration toilets are sold around the world, using both electricity and gas as the energy source powering their combustion. Depending upon your application, different energy sources may make more sense.
Unique Advantages of Incinerating Toilets
- No water supply or septic connections required
- Possible to use without grid power connections
- Simple installation
- Requires little space
- No handling of human waste, only minimal ash
- No need to supply bark, chemicals, etc.
- No insect issues
Why choose an incineration toilet?
Mountainous topography offers many challenges with regard to water supply, drainage solutions and infrastructure for cabins and vacation homes. Many homeowners face major costs and strict regulations when wishing to install such solutions in their cabins. For many people, such creature comforts as running water, drains and electricity remain a mere dream. An incineration toilet makes it possible to achieve approximately the same level of comfort possible at home, without the major costs and installation work for water and drainage systems. Incineration toilets also require little space, and are simple to install and maintain, which translate to savings that provide a very low total cost of ownership.