How does a horrible material turn into nice safe compost? It seems the transformation occurs by magic. Why do we want composting to happen in the toilet? There are two reasons; firstly to heat the compost pile up to 70°C to kill the pathogens and secondly, to reduce the amount, and change the structure of […]

In many applications the choice is between the two types of composting toilet; a urine separating compost toilet (Wostman Eco Dry, Biolan Simpett or Separating Dry) or an internal composting toilet (all Sun Mar, Biolan Eco Hot). Both types are self vented so odour is not an issue with either. But there a subtle differences between […]

Getting the mulch right is a very important part of composting. There is a separate post explaining the factors that influence composting which is a good idea to read also. This post explains what are looking for in a composting mulch. The Sun Mar units are supplied with a bag of compost sure which is […]

We know that the toilet products that we sell are unfamiliar to most people and can be confusing. So in this post we outline typical scenarios and match these up with toilet solutions. If you want the toilet in the home with no space below the floor for a container, and you have mains electricity, […]

Composting can take place in the presence of air (aerobic) or without air (anaerobic). In composting toilets we prefer aerobic composting because this gives faster breakdown,  faster metabolic rates and higher temperatures (to kill pathogens) and importantly no foul smells. Anaerobic breakdown is much slower, creates no heat, and produces foul smells. This means that if […]

The joy of the true composting toilet is that the output from the toilet is compost. The waste has been transformed so that it is pleasant and safe to handle. The composting toilet does not separate solids from liquids, as the liquid is required to provide Nitrogen and keep the compost moist. If there is more urine going into the […]

Irish Water Chief Executive John Tierney has said it is planned that people will receive their first bill for water charges in January 2015. The original deadline for the introduction of water charges as set out in the Troika bailout programme was January 2014.The first homes to get meters will be contacted in July and installation […]

A draft report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers called ”Irish Water: Second Interim Report” was released to RTÉ News following a Freedom of Information request and updates an earlier published study. At present commercial users are supposed to pay charges. But the PWC report shows 52% of firms are in arrears on their water bills. The level of […]

The 2013 Green Awards were on last night in the Burlington Hotel in Dublin and we were delighted to be shortlisted in two categories; Green Retailer and Green Entrepreneur. At the ceremony there were many business making a serious effort to minamise their impact on the Earth’s resources. Both large companies like Glaxosmithkline (winner of the large organisation […]

There’s a seanfhocail or Irish proverb that says wealth or money makes friendship. However, if it’s a payment written as Gaeilge to a certain bank, it may not always elicit a warm response. This was the experience of several Co. Mayo residents who tried to pay their septic tank registration fee with cheques made out to […]