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Summary
part 2 of a 3 part podcast
Paul, Alan, Steven and Clay continue the discussion about poop.
Paul's aim is to come up with something better than a sewage plant, which areas that ban compost toilets can embrace.
Alan feels that the current state is that the alpha testing is now complete, and what's needed now is beta testing so that it can be properly documented and developed. However, Paul can't afford to put money into testing. He now feels it's ready to share more widely and could become a cheaper and better system than current sewage processing. Alan makes valid points about the cash and environmental cost of installing conventional sewage systems
Paul and Alan debate whether humanure or willow feeder is going to be safer when it comes to pathogens. They agree that the willow feeder is going to be better especially if the humanure isn't done well. Alan also raises the point that getting the environment too sanitized is raising problems with development of immune systems in children.
Alan makes a point that most of the composting toilets are not true composting, and they don't achieve as good results as sewage treatment or septic tanks. True composting is an aerobic process and more complicated than most people think. However, humanure is still better than nothing. Paul makes the point that most of the systems rely on time to negate the pathogens. Later they return to this and comment about the bins they use for the willow feeder, which now are mostly not smelly. Alan lists smelly products of anaerobic processing. Absence of smell is a fair indicator that the decomposition is indeed aerobic.
Alan starts imagining how to scale up the willow feeder system to cope with larger or more densely populated areas.
Relevant Threads
Composting forum
Toilet Alternatives forum
what is a willow feeder
the first willow feeder (wheelie bin pooper) at paul's place - "chateau de poo"
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This podcast was made possible thanks to:
Dr. Hugh Gill Kultur
Kyle Neath
Bill Crim
anonymous
Chris Sugg
Kerry JustTooLazy
Jocelyn Campbell
Bill Erickson
Sasquatch
G Cooper
Dominic Crolius
Penny McLoughlin
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havokeachday
Julia Winter, world's slowest mosaic artist
Greg Martin
Mark
Sean Benedict
Rita Bliden
Dana Martin
Candace Dahlk
Keith Kuhnsman
Leanne
Eric Tolbert
Nick DePuy
Nathan Hale
Opalyn Rose
Polly Jayne Smyth
Todd Gerardot
Katie Young
Ivar Vasara
Brent Lawson
Weston prestage
Candice Crawford
Chris Holtslag
Song Zheng