Organic Waste Recycling

Composting 113

Figure 3.8 The Biopit composting toilet (Rybczynski et al. 1978; reproduced by
permission of the International Development Research Centre, Canada)

Another version of anaerobic composting is the Vietnamese toilet (Figure
3.10) which was claimed to be the key component of a rural sanitation program
for disease prevention and increased food production. It has two watertight tanks
serving by turns as receptacles for defecation and composting. A hole is made
on the face of each for feces deposition. Kitchen ash is added after each use to
reduce odor and increase the C/N ratios. Urine is channelled in a groove into a
separate vessel; this method reduces moisture content but does not decrease C/N
ratio of feces in the toilet, which is favourable for the composting reactions.
Apertures are made in the back wall for the collection of the composted
products. The toilets are constructed above ground so as not to be submerged by
rainwater.

1. Gravel seepage pit


2. Triple layered filter


3. Air duct


4. Toilet chute


5. Access hatch

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