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This document describes incinerating toilets - a waterless system for onsite waste disposal where a septic system cannot be installed. Incinerating toilets use electricity or gas to produce heat which literally incinerates the waste. Typically no plumbing, no water, no digging, no drains, are required, though an energy source is necessary, such as electricity, natural gas, or LP gas.

A vent is also required for incinerating toilets, either out through a side wall or up through the building roof. Incinerating toilet models include waterless-versions of incinerating toilets which produce a small amount of ash, and low-water toilet systems that are combined with an incinerator that can reduce gray water as well as sewage.

Here we list suppliers of incinerating toilets and compare models, features, and prices. We add advice on choosing among incinerating toilets and on how to use incinerating toilets. The photo above shows an Eco John Sr - "A highly efficient, waterless toilet that incinerates the waste with propane." [The photograph above is of one of our favorite incinerating toilets, an Incinolet, from that company's product literature.]

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What are Incinerating Toilets?

Incinerator Toilet Septic Systems: incinerator toilets use electricity or gas to burn the waste placed into these systems. Like chemical toilets and holding tanks they have limited capacity, are used where water is not available or must be conserved, and they do not address the handling of remaining graywater from sinks and showers. Incinerating toilets can be used in un-heated buildings, though if LP gas is used as the energy source, it should be protected from very cold conditions. My favorite product name among toilets of this type was the "Destroylet" incinerating toilet which was electric/propane fueled and which is no longer on the market in its original form. Each flush resulted in a more than 10-minute burn cycle which produced a pretty smelly exhaust.

I'd consider installing an incinerating toilet but I'd be sure to review all of its specifications first, including energy use, overall size and installation costs, storage capacity, incinerating frequency, and the length of the incinerating cycle.

I expect that properly installed, odors, noise, and explosions are not an issue. Some models require that the incinerating cycle be run after each use. As this can take some time the toilet may be unavailable during that interval. I'm not sure this is the whole story but some sources (NSF) argue that because the process consumes all of the nutrients in the waste, the ash cannot be used for fertilizer.

As long as the ash can be disposed of conveniently in a suitable location, it is sanitary and may not be an issue.

Incinerator Toilets [Gas, Electric Toilets] Regulations and Sanitary Codes

These units accept human waste into a chamber where the wastes are burned. They have a very limited capacity and require a source of electricity or gas. The ash remains must be periodically removed. They must be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions.

The previous quote is from: New York State Appendix 75-A.10 Other systems. In sum, other than stating that the product must be installed according to the manufacturer's recommendations, many codes and jurisdictions are silent on this topic.

Sources for Incinerating Toilets and Model Comparisons

• Eco Toilets offers Sunbio Electric Toilets which use 240 watts and require 2-3 hours to completely incinerate waste. Eco Toilets is in Hamilton, New Zealand and also produces composting toilets and other products.

EcoJohn, a California company, provides several incinerating toilet models including the SR series waterless incinerating toilet (photo at left). Here is a copy of the Eco John company's catalog of waterless incinerating toilets, separating composting toilets, and incinerating waste control systems for use with low-flush toilets. This is a toilet that is ideal for cabins, pool houses, guest rooms, or other remote areas where a conventional toilet is not available or too costly to install." "This is a new revolutionary system that incinerates gray/black water from a holding tank. " The company reports that "These products have been carefully tested and are designed to solve the problems with toilets in remote applications. ECOJOHN is superior where there is no power or water available, or where septic tanks are restricted, or simply in situations where a regular toilet is too costly or difficult to install. In addition to our self contained toilets, we also build upscale portable restrooms that include our own ECOJOHN toilet solutions that don’t need unsanitary and costly pump outs the ECOJOHN restrooms provide hygienic, logistical, and economical benefits." This system is perfect in areas where a water toilet is needed, but pumping out the waste is problematic or too costly." The company previously offered an interesting waterless toilet system that includes an incinerator for graywater that marries with a low-water toilet, the the EcoJohn Jr which is includes a sewage and graywater incinerating unit. Contact the ECOJOHN company at their website, Eco John or at Global Inventive Industries, 17150 Newhope St. Ste 707, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, Tel:866.ECOJOHN Fax: 714.568.1068 or by email to info@ECOJOHN.com

* Incinolet Electric incinerating toilet products, operate at 120V on a 15A circuit or at 204V for some models. This toilet line "uses electric heat to reduce human waste (urine, solids, paper) to a small amount of clean ash, which is dumped periodically into the garbage. A toilet bowl liner, dropped into the bowl prior to use, captures the waste, then both liner and its content drop into the incinerator chamber when the foot pedal is pushed." - $1600.-$1700. U.S. The manufacturer says the unit is odor free. The length of the incineration cycle was not specified but the manufacturer says that several people may use the toilet in rapid succession and that the toilet can be used while it is in its incineration cycle. Key for use in cold and freezing climates, the Incinolet toilet "can be used in any climate and can be left in an unheated environment for long periods of time." Electrical energy use is about 1.5 KWH per incinerating cycle. Electricity may be needed at all times, even during "off seasons" since the unit includes a heater and ventilation fan. (Electrical consumption for these components will be much less than that used during an incineration cycle.) Texas company. 800-527-5551 sales@incinolet.com WombatNation has provided a lengthy and detailed description of installation, testing, and use of the Incinolet at http://www.wombatnation.com/essays/incinolet.html .

• Scanlet - a Danish incinerating toilet fueled by propane.

* Storburn is a "natural gas" fired (actually propane fired or perhaps either) incinerating toilet. The toilet can be used 40-60 times before an incineration cycle is required. The company says that "a full 100 lb. propane cylinder will burn 16 maximum capacity loads (approximately 960 uses." All gas-fired incinerating toilets will require a gas flue to vent combustion products. Incineration cycle time was not obvious at the website. Incinerating toilet prices: $2980 - $3200. U.S. plus possibly some extra costs for vent kits and of course the propane tank and gas piping installation. This is the brand name that popped up the most during my web research on this topic.

• Destroilet, LaMere Industries, 227 N. Main St., Walworth, Wis. 53184, about $600.

* marks units that looked good to me on first review of their specifications, or which have received positive reviews from other sources I respect such as Real Goods.

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TOILET ALTERNATIVES
    General Categories of Waterless
    Chemical Toilets
    Composting Toilets
    Greywater Septic Systems
    Holding Tank Septic Systems
    Incinerator Toilet Systems

More Reading on Incinerating Toilets

• Comparing Toilets a brief comparison of Composting, Low-flow, Incinerating, and Chemical Portable toilets from the National Small Flows Clearinghouse
• Eco John or at Global Inventive Industries, 17150 Newhope St. Ste 707, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, Tel:866.ECOJOHN Fax: 714.568.1068 or by email to info@ECOJOHN.com
• US EPA Article on Incinerating Toilets PDF file
• Fire Breathing Dragon nicknamed incinerating toilet - an amusing web article by "Jim" whose web page does not give his last name - (not authoritative). The author reports urinating on glowing waste being incinerated, causing quite a mess. Incinerating toilet brand not specified.

• Alan Carson Carson Dunlop Associates, Toronto, Ontario. Mr. Carson is a home inspection professional, educator, researcher, writer, and a principal of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection and education firm. Mr. Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors
• Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. (727) 595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com 11/06
• Hankey and Brown home inspectors, Eden Prairie, MN, technical review by Roger Hankey, prior chairman, Standards Committee, American Society of Home Inspectors - ASHI. 952 829-0044 - hankeyandbrown.com 11/06
• Arlene Puentes, a licensed home inspector, educator, and building failures researcher in Kingston, NY. 11/29/06

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More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• Pennsylvania State Fact Sheets relating to domestic wastewater treatment systems include
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-161, Septic System Failure: Diagnosis and Treatment
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-162, The Soil Media and the Percolation Test
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-l64, Mound Systems for Wastewater Treatment
• Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-165, Septic Tank-Soil Absorption Systems
• Document Sources used for this web page include but are not limited to: Agricultural Fact Sheet #SW-161 "Septic Tank Pumping," by Paul D. Robillard and Kelli S. Martin. Penn State College of Agriculture - Cooperative Extension, edited and annotated by Dan Friedman (Thanks: to Bob Mackey for proofreading the original source material.)

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