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How To

How to Make a Homemade Composting Toilet

Contributor
By Sarah Terry
eHow Contributing Writer

A homemade composting toilet is surprisingly simple and cheap to make. You can even make a portable version for back-country camping. Composting toilets are safe for the environment and make camping experiences more comfortable. Follow these steps to make your own homemade composting toilet.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Plywood Wood screws Hand saw or jigsaw Standard toilet seat Plastic bin with removable lid Sawdust
  1. Step 1

    Purchase a medium-sized plastic bin and plywood. Make your composting toilet as large as you want, but buy at least enough plywood to construct a box around the bin.

  2. Step 2

    Cut the plywood into six pieces. Use wood screws to affix five of the six pieces of wood to create an open-topped box. Your box should be approximately 1 to 2 inches higher than the bin.

  3. Step 3

    Place the plastic bin inside the wooden box. Place the remaining wood board on top of the box.

  4. Step 4

    Cut a hole in the top piece of wood that is slightly larger than the internal size of the toilet seat. Attach the toilet seat to the top piece of wood so that it aligns with the hole.

  5. Step 5

    Pour a cup or two of sawdust in the bottom of the plastic bin. After each use, scoop more sawdust into the bin to control odor. When finished, empty the contents and clean out the bin.

Tips & Warnings
  • If your composting toilet will be outdoor--as most are--paint or stain the wood to protect it from the elements. Empty the composting toilet's contents into your compost heap. A well-tended compost heap will render any dangerous bacteria harmless within a few months.
  • Don't simply empty your compost toilet on the ground or in a river, stream or lake.
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