I'm looking for a composting toilet - either to buy or build - for my allotment.
I have looked at the Kazubaloo but because it is an evaporating toilet it is not recommended for use in the UK and the NatSol ones are supposedly good but they are amazingly expensive, quite ugly (well, the metal ones are) and you need to hire someone to did a big hole and build a reinforced concrete base for them.
Am I asking too much for a reasonably priced, free standing, nice looking composting loo?
Jon.
Hi Jon,
I am surprised you say this about the Kazubaloo. Obviously, I don't know which part of UK you are from so don't know your climate.
We looked into the Kazubaloo, and there are quite a few sites with them installed (Finchley - see
http://thefinchleyarrow.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/kazuba-help-usher-in-environmentally-friendly-age-for-gardeners-in-finchley/). There is also one in Kent (Smeeth and Brabourne Allotments, just outside Ashford) and another in Scotland (sorry, I can't find the details for this one). These are the ones I know about - I am sure there are more. They are also used in National Trust sites too.
The main downside to Kazubaloo is the cost (and for us, the fact that our Council don't like doing anything new - they would prefer us to adopt the same solution as other sites in the Borough). For us, we preferred it because it is unlikely to need emptying as often as other ones. Luckily, we have a couple of people happy to drive a JCB!
The only reason our site hasn't progressed with our one is that we are still (almost one year on) waiting for the Council to approve where we can site the thing! Even though we are self-managed, they won't give us that power!
If your Council is anything like ours, I suggest you seriously consider a solution similar to Surbie's site - it will be a darn sight cheaper for starters!