Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Falling Back on the M1W Clivus Multrum for "year round composting" as a primary residence!

 https://www.savetheriver.org/get-involved/sewage-handbook/alternative-waterless-toilets/composting-toilets/ Waste retention time is four years, ...bin capacity is 248 US gallons; ...system includes waterless toilet seat;....train for self-service. https://www.phys.ufl.edu/~liz/waste.html (40 gallons for urine collection at bottom, so 200 gallons for humanure compost)

I've been studying the "planning manual" for the Clivus Multrum and I called them in Massachusetts. The composters are made in Virginia and then assembled in Massachusetts. They ship as a pallet and then the M1W has two molded parts that interlock - so it will fit into the vehicle to haul it, when necessary.

Based on the state rules, septage is for 12 months. So if this is composting for four years before any removal then it should be ok.  

My only concern is the leachate but if we realize that urine as "yellow water" can be used after three months - and the composting itself then it still going on, then "new" contamination by urine shouldn't be an issue. The planning manual states:

Models M1, M2 and M3 have liquid storage built into the composter base, which may or may not be sufficient (consult Clivus).
I'm sure that it will be sufficient since I'll use urine diversion or at least just go no. 1 as "yellow water" in the woods...

https://www.phys.ufl.edu/~liz/waste.html

Now, after more than 5 years, there are thousands of earthworms and very few earwigs and no insects in the bathroom, save for the occasional fruitfly. It appears to be a healthy, balanced system.

This involves opening the upper chamber and raking the accumulated pile flat. A rake is kept inside the chamber for this purpose. After raking the pile flat, about one 5 pound coffee can full of wood shavings or sawdust is added on the top. The chamber is set up to allow misting of water on the top of the compost, which we do about once a week for a few minutes.

The Clivus Multrum does not attempt to evaporate liquids, but allows the urine and any water added to filter through the compost and collect in a separate chamber at the bottom. The capacity of the liquid chamber is 40 gallons. This liquid fertilizer is siphoned out of the holding chamber directly onto plants outside. We just use a garden hose and siphon manually, but a submersible pump that automatically turns on when the liquid reaches a certain level is also available. We remove liquid only about every 3 months, so we opted for the manual route. The liquid is completely odor free and is clear tea colored.

https://forum.susana.org/241-composting-toilets-in-general/23451-some-input-from-people-who-are-experienced-in-building-clivus-multrum-like-waterless-toilets-question-from-timor-leste# 

The shape of the container as well as the slope is critical, which is why we only rotomould ClivusMultrum tanks.

https://rotomoldusa.com/rotomold/
























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