• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • John F Dean
  • r ranson
  • Jay Angler
  • paul wheaton
stewards:
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Leigh Tate
  • Devaka Cooray
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • Timothy Norton
gardeners:
  • thomas rubino
  • Matt McSpadden
  • Jeremy VanGelder

Mold allergy and composting toilet? Potential for problem?

 
Posts: 1
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi, I'm new! And my first post is about composting toilets.

So my story of mold goes back a long time and it's hard to relay the severity of my illness, but I found someone who has done so and her story is parallel to mine --- although I've never been paralyzed whereas she has been. ( https://www.oprah.com/inspiration/julie-rehmeyer-mold-and-chronic-fatigue-syndrome )

At this point I've managed to convince my skeptic of a husband that yes, I'm allergic to mold and yes, I have symptoms at the level of mould growing in a sink's overflow, or of the countertop compostable bin not being taken out fast enough, or of the vase of flowers starting to mold, or of a bread loaf molding. It's just like hayfever symptoms and slight headache at those low levels. At present I still live in the house that I've been sick in, though the mold issues are manageable now. The average person wouldn't be affected. I'm mostly functional. It's not how I want to live long term though.

I want to return to the Godforsaken Desert I was born and raised in, and I want to live off grid. At least as much as I can make it work.

But I'm wondering: composting requires bacteria and fungi as necessary components to the process. Is a composting toilet even an option for me, as a toilet is inside the house all the time, or is it possible to channel airflow to prevent the spores from exiting the chamber? Or am I looking at an outhouse situation?
 
Posts: 8
Location: England (the old one, not the new)
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi, Nicola from another mouldy.

I'm thinking that your symptoms are manageable at the moment because you are 'masked'. (No, not wearing one, for those who have no knowledge of this, but that's the term used for the body being able to 'cope' in a mouldy environment.) I live in England - 'nuff said.

I camped in a field once for a few months. It was great for detoxing and I was able to function while there. In my tent I had a bucket with sawdust and a loo seat with a hinged lid balancing on the rim. Tricky but it was temporary and I was on a budget. The owner of the field let me empty the loo in a pile at one end of the field. It was a hot summer so I drank a lot of water and I was detoxing through my bowels as well as my skin and breath. My bucket got filled up quickly and so I emptied it most days.I didn't react to the bucket or contents even though I reacted to the surface of the field when it rained.

No-one can say if you will react to it or not.

When you move, if you don't take any porous possessions that you cannot wash, and thus don't take any spores with you, you will likely become more reactive because you will then be 'unmasked'.
If I were you I would start off with an outhouse and move it indoors as you heal. You will heal faster by being outside as much as you can anyway because that's how you will detox. I wish England had a hot desert.

If you haven't read it I think you may be interested in Ana Harris' healing journey. https://anaharriswrites.com/mold-avoidance/

Best wishes
Patricia

 
I wish to win the lottery. I wish for a lovely piece of pie. And I wish for a tiny ad:
turnkey permaculture paradise for zero monies
https://permies.com/t/267198/turnkey-permaculture-paradise-monies
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic