Sanitation and Cleanliness for a Healthy Environment 41
To know when the solid fertilizer is safe for use
The contents of a dry toilet are
ready to remove when they are dry,
have little or no smell, and look like
ordinary soil. For this to happen, they
should be kept dry inside the toilet
chamber for 1 year.
When you think the contents
should be ready to remove, open the
chamber. If the pile is wet, add dry
plant matter or soil mixed with ash
and let it sit for several weeks more.
If the pile is dry and does not have
a strong smell, it is ready. Remove it
with a shovel.
After drying out for 1 year, most
germs will be dead and the material
should be safe to handle and to add
directly to garden soil. But if there is
any doubt, the contents of the toilet
can be given extra treatment to ensure
Remove dry material for use as fertilizer.
that all germs are killed. To completely
dry the contents of the toilet, store it in bags or buckets for a few weeks. To heat it up,
leave it in a dry, sunny area, or add it to a compost pile.
Since there still may be some germs, it is important to wear gloves and shoes when
handling the contents, and to wash well after emptying the toilet.
Urine fertilizer
Always wash after handling human fertilizer.
Some farmers use urine mixed with water as a fertilizer because urine carries valuable
nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous that can help plants grow. Urine is much
safer to handle than feces. However, the same nutrients that make it a good fertilizer
can pollute water sources. Also, it can carry blood-flukes (schistosomiasis) -- common
in only some parts of the world. Because of this, it is important not to put urine into
water sources, or near where people drink or bathe.