Composting toilets with separating function in the allotment garden

My house is my castle, my garden is my oasis: more and more people are discovering happiness in the green. Especially in cities, where a vegetable garden in front of the house is often scarce, the number of members in allotment garden associations is steadily increasing. One's own small plot is a piece of nature in the middle of or at the gates of the city, inviting one to garden, relax or socialize with family and friends. A picture of idyll - over which circles the question, "What to do when nature calls?", like a vulture.

Sanitary facilities are the exception rather than the rule in allotment gardens. And if they exist, this does not mean that they are located in the immediate vicinity of one's plot. "Taking away" the after-work beer can thus become a small pilgrimage. Those who have their own quiet place at such times have a good laugh behind the picket fence.

No peeing in the wild!

Necessity is the mother of invention. Some allotment gardeners rolled up their sleeves, took the spade in hand and met the challenge with self-dug soakaways. A simple idea that, unfortunately, is not one of the good ones. Septic tanks are prohibited in allotment gardens in Germany. The reason for this is that the unfiltered and uncontrolled discharge of wastewater pollutes the groundwater or, in the worst case, contaminates it with germs. Those who dispose of their waste in this way face heavy fines if they are inspected.

 The main legal framework about what is and what is not possible in the allotment garden is regulated by the federal allotment garden law. Since each allotment garden association has its own set of rules, you are on the safe side if you inform yourself about the local regulations before leasing a plot.

No loo is no solution either

The toilet question in the allotment garden presents you with four challenges:

1. Your allotment is not connected to the sewage system. A permanently installed toilet with flushing water is therefore out of the question.
2. Your excrements must not seep into the sand.
3. However your toilet is designed, the containers in which you collect your large and small business must be absolutely leak-proof.
4. The toilet must not be installed as a small house, but must be integrated into existing structures like a garden shed.

In order to still be able to garden with pleasure, you have various options that we would like to take a closer look at with you.

Chemical toilet

Chemical toilets are one possibility of your own toilet in the allotment garden. Your excrements are collected in the body of the toilet. Chemical additives counteract the development of odors. Chemical toilets are mobile, easy to transport, suitable for quick use and therefore seem like a simple solution at first glance.

At second glance, it quickly becomes clear that this is a fallacy. Chemical toilets are cumbersome to clean and must be emptied in special disposal stations. Due to the decomposition substances used, the toilet's cassettes and their contents must not be disposed of in nature under any circumstances. In addition, the smell of the chemical additives is even more unpleasant than the personal scent mark. And let's face it, even though chemical toilets are allowed in allotments by the way they work, they just don't fit with the idea of enjoying nature in your own green space.

 Composting toilet

The composting or dry toilet works similarly to an outhouse - only with a self-contained collection system. It consists of a toilet seat with a lid, a collection bin, and a body such as a wooden box. Pee and poo end up in a "communal bucket." After going to the toilet, they are covered with litter, which binds odors and makes the leftovers disappear to the eye. The bin is emptied either in a composter or at a central collection point at the allotment. There are also composting toilets that already have an integrated composter and collect the urine separately.

In the allotment garden, composting toilets are thus a very sustainable alternative to chemical toilets. They use natural decomposition processes and thus protect the environment. To prevent odors, the use of a fan is recommended. This is powered by mobile solar panels. Important: Permanently installed solar systems are not permitted in all allotment gardens.

 Mobile composting toilet with separating function

Keep it short, keep it simple, keep it convenient! This is how the use of the third toilet variant for the allotment garden could be summarized. Mobile composting toilets with a separating function are the next evolutionary step of the dry or compost toilet. Their advantages: Even easier to use, odorless, space-saving and, depending on the variant, as convenient as the dignified ceramic toilet in the four walls at home.

Mobile composting toilets have a separator that separates urine from solids and collects it in two separate containers. The big advantage is that the separation of solids and liquids virtually eliminates odors. After the transaction, the solids are covered with litter so that they can dry well. As a general rule, the drier the waste, the less it smells. When the containers are full, the solids are either disposed of in the household residual waste or the central collection point of the allotment or composted. You can either empty the urine canister in a conventional toilet connected to the sewage system or use the liquid gold diluted as fertilizer. Here we have summarized everything you need to know about how the mobile composting toilet works, how to use it and how to clean it in a short, concise and exciting way.

Our favorite: the composting toilet with separating function

If you are looking for a simple, safe and hygienic toilet solution for your allotment garden, a mobile composting toilet with a separating function is the best choice. Not only does it offer you a contemporary and sustainable alternative, but also maximum flexibility and convenience. In addition to its functionality, it also cuts a really good figure, so that nothing stands in the way of your "just like home" feeling in the garden shed. Whether it's a sunny Sunday afternoon with the whole family, a balmy summer evening with friends or a quiet moment of private garden enjoyment in your own little green oasis.