Dry separation toilets are a modern as well as sustainable toilet alternative that works without chemicals and even without water. The excreta are separated from each other by a special insert.

As the name suggests, in the dry separation toilet, the excreta are drained into two different containers: one for urine and one for solids. The urine flows into a special canister, while the large business ends up in a bucket lined with a trash bag.

How does a dry separation toilet work?

A dry separation toilet is made up of three main components: the separator, the urine canister and the solids container. The separator, with its lowered shape and two openings, ensures that solids and liquids are collected separately. Through the simple principle of gravity, solid waste falls into the designated container, while urine runs into the canister.

What do I need to use a dry separation toilet?

The urine canister is a normal canister that has a special lid and can be easily emptied. While the urine canister requires nothing more than a lid as a spill guard, the solid waste container is lined with a trash bag. The bags are available in different materials, which have their advantages and disadvantages. First and foremost, they ensure that excreta can be disposed of quickly and hygienically. Excreta do not come into contact with the container at any time. This makes it easy to dispose of them and ensure hygiene. The most common garbage bags are made of biodegradable materials or plastic. If you decide to use compostable bags, you are choosing a particularly environmentally friendly option. However, you should replace them at least once a week, as they soften and decompose depending on the intensity of use. Plastic bags are not compostable and are particularly suitable for long intervals of use. You can use them for longer than a week without them softening. If you want to use compostable bags, you can line the solids container with a plastic bag as a "safety bag." Should premature decomposition occur, this will catch the big deal and make it easier for you to dispose of.
There is no right or wrong way to choose your bags. The decisive factors are your usage behavior and your needs. For the use of your separation toilet you need litter. This you scatter after the toilet on the excrements. Small animal litter, biological cat litter, special mixtures with activated carbon, fine bark mulch, sawdust or similar are particularly suitable. 

Is there any difference with dry toilet?

Yes, the main difference between dry separation toilets and dry toilets is that dry separation toilets separate the small and large business, while dry toilets put the excreta together in one container. Dry toilets do not contain a separating insert. Therefore, they are quite clearly distinguished from the separation toilets or dry separation toilets. The biggest advantage of dry separation toilets is that urine and solids are not mixed. Due to the fact that the small and large business mix with each other, the otherwise unpleasant odor is created, which is avoided by the separation in dry separation toilets. Healthy urine that does not come into contact with water does not usually develop its own odor.

The solids are covered with special bedding after defecation. This removes the residual moisture and stops the formation of odors. You also have the option of equipping separation toilets with an exhaust system. Whether this is actually necessary depends on your needs and preferences.

In which places can I use a dry separation toilet?

Dry separation toilets are flexible and straightforward solutions for urine and solids disposal, as they do not require water access or connection to the sewer system. This feature makes them ideal for locations where these access points are either not available or difficult to access. Dry separation toilets can be used in many different areas. The most common applications for dry separation toilets are camping and use on vacation trips. 
Especially on small campsites where there are no sanitary facilities, dry separation toilets can be ideally used to enable self-sufficient camping. Dry separation toilets can be used at all places where no running water is available or there are no disposal stations for black water. They are therefore ideal for allotments or other small garden sites.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of dry separation toilets?

Waterless, free of chemicals, hygienic, environmentally friendly and easy to dispose of: Dry separation toilets offer a number of advantages over conventional WCs. No connection to the local sewer system is required. Dry toilets operate without chemicals and still allow excreta to decompose naturally. Another advantage of dry toilets with separation system is environmentally friendly disposal. The excreta is placed directly into the normal household waste and can thus be disposed of in an uncomplicated manner. The separation system of dry toilets also minimizes the odor of the excreta. It makes the separation toilet self-sufficient and independent of a sewer system.
One disadvantage of using a dry toilet with a separation system is that special accessories such as garbage bags or litter are required. However, when using a conventional chemical toilet, you also need chemicals and water to use it.

What is the difference between a dry separation toilet and a chemical toilet?

The TTT, dry separation toilet or simply separation toilet has established itself as an alternative to the chemical toilet. The chemical toilet consists of a tank filled with a chemical solution. Alternatively, there are models that direct the chemical solution into the liquid-filled tank at the push of a button. The solution contains enzymes that decompose the excrement. The lid of the container is equipped with a toilet or a seat. After the business is done, the chemical solution is flushed through the hole in the toilet and mixed to decompose the excrement.
 
Dry separation toilets, on the other hand, separate excreta mechanically without using chemicals. Chemical toilets contain highly potent chemical additives that have an antibacterial effect. However, these additives endanger not only people's health, but also the environment. Disposing of the excreta from a chemical toilet is more complicated. Due to the chemicals contained, the excrement may only be disposed of under strict regulations. When traveling, for example in a mobile home, this can be difficult if there is no disposal station nearby.
 
In contrast, the disposal of feces and urine from the separation toilet is very simple. You can either dispose of the urine in a conventional toilet or use it in diluted form as fertilizer in your garden. Thanks to the waste bags, you can easily dispose of solids in your household waste. This is also uncomplicated when traveling. It is best to find out about the legal regulations in advance.

Conclusion about dry separation toilets