These two toilets resemble every other commode, but at a total cost of approximately US$20,000 (RM64,000), they aren’t your great-grandmother’s latrines. They skip the sewage system entirely, funnelling waste into a tank in the basement the size of a commercial trash bin. Unlike an old-fashioned outhouse, where the waste goes straight into a hole in the ground, the composting toilets use the magic of chemistry to convert it to fertiliser. Just as in a backyard compost pile full of leaves and fruit rinds, the nutrient-rich waste mixes with carbon from wood shavings in the tank. Hungry bacteria then break down the material into tiny pieces, generating heat and carbon dioxide. A fan circulates air, reducing odour and ensuring the bacteria have plenty of oxygen. It takes some additional work to complete the year-long composting process. You have to toss in some earthworms, sift occasionally, and add about five litres of water per day.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 09:01:40 +0000
Trending Topics
© 2015