Composting Toilets vs Pit Latrines

COMPOSTING LOOS

Composting Toilets

PIT LATRINES

Pit Latrines

THE GOOD

  • Composting toilets are a long term and cost effective option to flush toilets.
  • The are mobile and have a long life span.
  • Composting toilets are also well suited to remote areas, where sewerage connections may not be available.
  • They save water resources considerably and are thus particularly favourable in water scarce areas.
  • Unlike PIT latrines, composting toilets are environmentally friendly as they do not leach contaminants into the ground water sources.
  • They are generally odour free when carbon rich materials such as ash, sawdust and leaves are used are used to absorb excess moisture.
  • Adding urine diversion, further decreases odour as the moisture content is decreased in the excreta.
  • Container based waste is easier to manage for treatment, recycling and disposal.
  • Mobile containers can easily be transported to treatment sites by individuals or businesses.
  • Disposal and recycling of the end product is more cost effective than using a honeysucker to empty pits.
  • Resources can be re-used for fertilisers, compost, bio-bricks and electricity production among other things.
  • Declines the need for chemical fertilisers.
  • Improves agricultural output.
  • Has the ability to increase overall food security.
  • High Cost Benefit Ratio (CBR) as the treatment of urine and excreta creates business and employment opportunities.
  • The main advantage of a PIT LATRINE is that it helps to eliminate open defecation.
  • It is also easy and cheap to install.
  • There are variations in the design, either as single PIT, double PIT,  water less or pour flush alternatives.
  • Urine diversion is also being applied to PIT toilets.
  • All materials/technologies for construction are locally and readily available.
  • The latrines can also be improved over time – they can be connected to a septic tank to prevent leaching into groundwater.
  • If properly maintained, they are excellent producers of biomass.
  • The recycled sludge is excellent in use for soil conditioners and fertilisers.
  • When creating a new PIT, planting a tree over the old PIT is an easy and effective way of re-using residual sludge could contaminate groundwater.
The Composting Process

THE BAD

  • Composting toilets require more maintenance than a standard flushing unit.
  • The addition of carbon rich materials is an added cost above the normal toilet essentials.
  • If not correctly managed, insufficient airflows may also present with odour.
  • The presence of odour may call for the installation of extra vents or fans, adding to installation costs.
  • There is also the task of handling the humanure, which most people tend to steer away from.
  • One of the biggest disadvantages of composting toilets may be the risk of being exposed to disease causing pathogens. For this reason, issues around correct disposal of the material is also a very important factor to consider.
  • Unlike PIT latrines, the container based options do not contain the anaerobic digestors that naturally occur in soil that help to breakdown the excreta into a safe to use form of compost.
  • Emptying services may not be affordable to low income households.
  • If the excreta is not properly handled – there is always a risk of diseases.
  • Extraction vehicles may not be able to access collection points in densely populated informal settlements.
  • With PIT latrines, the most common complaint is of odour.
  • This in turn, attract flies, mosquitoes and sometimes vermin too.
  • Often they are considered unsafe, as small children have lost their lives by falling into the pit and drowning.
  • Women feel vulnerable when having to use them, especially at night, as PIT latrines are usually installed away from the main house.
  • PIT toilets have a strong potential to pollute groundwater sources with dangerous pathogens.
  • Maintenance of PIT toilets are very expensive, therefore PIT latrines cannot be considered a viable long-term solution to the sanitation crisis, unless stringent maintenance strategies are kept in place.
  • User acceptance is also a concern, as PIT latrines are often considered to be less dignified in comparison to flush toilets.
  • PIT latrines have to be moved, once they have reached capacity.
  • Space may be limited have and have many groundwater sources that risk becoming contaminated.
  • When connected to a septic tank they are increasingly more expensive to maintain.
  • Not an ideal solution in heavily populated areas as capacity will be reached very quickly.
  • Communities may resort to incorrect, self-disposal.
  • PIT latrines have been known to overflow, in countries with a high water tables.

THE STINKY