Knowledge Base

When starting (or expanding) your glamping business, there are some key questions
you will need to ask yourself.

Glamping Definitions

GLAMPING

“a form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping”.

"glamping is likely to satisfy any city slicker seeking a little refuge in nature without foregoing any of life's luxuries".

New Starters

Marketing and Research

YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE:
the right product available, at the right price, and
Use the right promotion to attract the right people…
REMEMBER

You’ll need to offer a solution that your customers want to use and for which they are willing to pay good money. The path is harder if you put in a solution, which you “think” sounds great but which does not tick the customers’ boxes… To use a sales analogy, you should offer what you can sell NOT try to sell what you can offer.

Planning

You will certainly need to apply for (or revisit) planning permission for “Change of Use” of the land. In the UK it is a legal obligation to obtain land use consent. This is carried out via the planning department of your local council, also drawing on regulations set by The Environment Agency and your regional water authority.

Planning can be a complex affair where it might be wise to enlist the help of your own solicitor. Their advice will be to make sure you have planning permission in place before you go ahead: don’t commit precious funds to a venture for which you cannot subsequently gain planning permission.

Depending on your choice of glamping product, on the premise that where people are staying in accommodation they will generate grey and black waste, you will need to handle and control that waste in some manner.

As a general guideline, if you are going to create any hole in the ground for a new building or to accept a waste tank (for example) you will always need planning permission. But don’t just take our word for it: always consult with your local planning office as interpretations and permissions may vary regionally.

Some glamping products may be interpreted by planning officers as fixed buildings; some may be seen as temporary structures:

e.g. A £15,000 glamping hut installed over a septic tank will be treated differently - from a planning perspective - from a £5,000 movable shepherd’s hut using a movable waste tank.

Budget

There is a vast range of glamping products you might offer your future customers: from teepee to shepherd’s hut, from wooden log cabin to tree house etc. Whichever of these products you choose, they all come at varying prices to buy and install, with a resultant effect on revenue, running costs, cash flow and return on investment.

Some products will require a relatively modest investment; some may be eye-wateringly expensive.  Even modestly-priced products will not yield a decent return if you can’t attract (enough) customers or - for example - your nearest neighbour offers the same product. It’s vital to make sure you have a product offering that customers will use. Offer what you can sell and carry out good marketing all the way through.

Logistics

Keep in the back of your mind that the location you would like to use may not ultimately be the location for which you are granted planning permission. You may need to change your plans if, for example, your fishing holiday-themed glamping idea does not get planning permission to be located on your river bank…will it ultimately attract the customers you want?

The location you have outlined may not be suitable for every glamping product in terms of delivery, installation, connection of water and waste supplies and accessibility for ongoing maintenance.

e.g. a large septic tank is a bulky item to deliver, may require specialist equipment to offload, requires a large hole to be dug for installation, requires sufficient drainage capacity within the ground for grey water to run away (subject to the necessary planning permission, of course) and will require yearly access (typically) for the septic tank emptying vehicle when the solid matter needs to be removed.

So, on this matter alone (and other challenges may arise):

Can the delivery vehicle get to and from the intended site?
Is the ground solid enough to accept a large waste tanker and can it get to within 50 feet to allow its hose to reach the waste tank?
If it’s wet, can the waste tanker get to and from the site without being stranded or bogged down?

Planning

Via your planning office, you may need to consult The Environment Agency to determine how waste is handled and what measures / solutions / controls you must
put in place.

Logistics and Groundwork

If you’re not an expert, it may be advisable and necessary to consult builders and/or structural engineers on groundworks and drainage.

Know your Customers, Select your Product

On the basis of the well-known quote (US poet, John Lydgate)

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.

You should recognise that there will be differing motivations from customers wanting to go glamping and you will not be able to satisfy every need.

On the one hand...

…some customers may want a totally “off grid” experience in a shepherd’s hut or teepee with no Wi-Fi, no disturbance, simple composting toilets…

and, at the other end of the spectrum…
  
…some customers may be prepared to spend £1,000 a week for your amazing view, the luxury log cabin with wood burner, Wi-Fi, hot and cold running water with toilets “just like home”, farm activities for the kids etc.

So, as you won’t be able to offer a solution for every potential customer, and as there will be other external factors to consider, such as planning permission, it will be a question of deciding your offering based on your research. You can only make money by having the products people want to use, at the right price…a glamping hut isn’t going to work in a city centre, and a 5-star hotel isn’t going to work in the middle of your wood.

To recap, in no particular order, whether new to the business or experienced, your preparation should include:

For new glamping businesses
Marketing Research
Identify your customer
Research your competition: copy or be different?
Set your Budget
Select your products - based on your customer
Make sure products can be readily installed and serviced
Work out potential revenue
Work out funding and cash flow
Planning
Contact local planning - apply for permission
Only proceed when you have planning permission!
Marketing Communications
Website, leaflets, 3rd party letting agent, existing connections
For existing glampingbusinesses
Marketing Research
Research new customers
Research your competition: copy or be different?
Set your Budget
Select your products - expand existing or differentiate?
Make sure products can be readily installed and serviced
Work out potential revenue
Work out funding and cash flow
Planning
Contact local planning - amend permission if necessary
Only proceed when you have planning permission!
Marketing Communications
Website, leaflets, 3rd party letting agent, existing connections

Key Trivia / Facts

GLAMPING
In a domestic environment, it is calculated that we each use 200 litres of water per day
Recent legislation for new build and/or sustainable homes has the aim to reduce water usage to 150 litres per person per day. A long-term aim is to make a further step to 80 litres per person per day. This will be achieved by using shallower baths, restricting shower flow rates, reducing cistern flush volumes, percussion taps etc.
CONSIDER:
Taking a standard bath will typically “use” 110 litres
A power shower may use up to 12 litres per minute over an average of 5 minutes. Each shower “event” will therefore use up to 60 litres
An electric shower generally has a lower flow rate, especially at higher temperatures, and may use up to 8½ litres per minute. Each shower “event” will use up to 42½ litres
A typical toilet flush with the twin button system uses between 4-6 litres per “visit”. Calculate between 6-8 visits per day (i.e. up to 48 litres of water per day).
For well-hydrated people, up to 10 visits per day is not unusual (i.e. up to 60 litres of water per day)
For people on medication using diuretics, toilet frequency will increase
Intake of caffeine and/or alcohol, mild diuretics, will lead to an increase in urine output. Although caffeine is a mild diuretic only leading to a short-term increase, alcohol reduces the production of the hormone vasopressin, which normally tells your kidneys to reabsorb water rather than flush it out through the bladder. With the body's natural signal switched off, the bladder is free to fill with fluid
Allow for hot weather conditions, which lead to increased fluid intake levels with corresponding increased “visits” to the toilet
Consider that the glamping environment is NOT quite the same as the domestic household, yet a surprising amount of water may be used and waste created

Guide to Sewage Treatment

Building regulations require foul drainage to be connected to a public sewer or where this is not practicable to one of the following;

1.  Cesspool
2.  Septic Tank
3.  Package Sewage Treatment Plant

The above options all have advantages and disadvantages. In order to decide which option is most appropriate to meet your requirements please study the following information.

Cesspools

WHAT IS A CESSPOOL?
A cesspool is a sewage holding tank with no outlet
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Sewage flows in and is stored. When the tank is full the waste is tankered away
SITE SUITABILITY
Sites where the ground is unsuitable for the waste to soakaway to ground
Sensitive sites e.g. SSSI’s and sites close to drinking water supplies
ADVANTAGES
Low installation and maintenance cost
DISADVANTAGES
No treatment of sewage
Require regular emptying

Septic Tanks

WHAT IS A SEPTIC TANK?
A multi-chambered tank with an outlet
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Primary tanks facilitate primary treatment to take place (the separation of liquids and solids by gravity). Sewage flows into the tank and the heavy solids ‘sludge’ sink to the bottom, lighter solids, grease and oils or ‘scum’ float to the surface. Some of the sludge is degraded by naturally occurring anaerobic (without oxygen) bacteria. The liquid effluent flows via gravity out of the tank and discharges to land by soakaway

Please note that some older septic tanks still discharge directly to watercourses. However this practice is becoming less common due to more stringent consent standards. See below regarding Consent to Discharge.

SITE SUITABILITY
Single domestic house or small developments
Where there is sufficient porosity in the ground to allow for soakaway (ground porosity determined via percolation tests)
ADVANTAGES
Relatively low installation cost
Some treatment
DISADVANTAGES
Require emptying on an annual basis
Can only discharge where ground has sufficient porosity

Package Sewage Treatment Plant

WHAT IS A TREATMENT PLANT?
A treatment plant is a more sophisticated unit than a septic tank. There are different types of package sewage treatment plant but they all generally follow the same principles
HOW DOES A TREATMENT PLANT WORK?
Package sewage treatment plants create an environment which facilitates the growth of bacteria, which break down sewage into non-polluting end products. Treatment plants differ from septic tanks as not only does primary treatment take place but also secondary treatment. This requires an electricity supply which is used to artificially introduce air to the treatment plant; it is this oxygen transfer through the sewage which enables the growth of aerobic bacteria which are more effective in the breakdown of sewage than the bacteria present in a septic tank. This results in a higher quality effluent being produced, which can (subject to Environment Agency Consent to Discharge) be discharged directly to a watercourse
SITE SUITABILITY
Package sewage treatment plants are suitable for most sites from single domestic house up to 1000pe
Subject to Environment Agency or SEPA, i.e. whether they will grant you consent to discharge to land or to watercourse
ADVANTAGES
Sewage treated to higher standard
Suitable for larger developments
DISADVANTAGES
Require electricity supply
Require regular maintenance to ensure efficient operation

Consent to Discharge

WHAT IS A 'CONSENT TO DISCHAGRE'?
It is in effect a licence which allows you to discharge treated sewage subject to consent limits to either ground or surface water
Do I need to apply for a ‘Consent to Discharge’?
If you intend to discharge anything other than clean, uncontaminated surface water to surface waters or groundwater you need to obtain a discharge consent from your Environmental Regulator. Failure to do so may result in enforcement action by your Environmental Regulator
How do I apply?
To apply for a consent to discharge it is advisable to contact your local Environment Agency or SEPA office, who will give you an indication as to what level of treatment is required. This will help you form the decision as to what treatment system is suitable for your site. You will then have to complete a ‘Consent to Discharge Application Form’ and pay an application fee, the amount of fee is dependent upon the amount of sewage you propose to discharge

Please note that completion of an application form and payment of fee does constitute permission to discharge.

What is a consent limit?
The Environment Agency and SEPA specify that a discharge has to meet certain discharge standards or consent limits. These are either ‘descriptive’ or ‘numeric’. A descriptive consent limit means that as long as the effluent looks clear and doesn’t appear to have a detrimental effect on the environment then it is clear enough to discharge

A numeric consent limit is where the EA or SEPA will specify figures in milligrams per litres for the following parameters:

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
Suspended Solids (SS)
Ammonia (NH3) permitted in the discharge effluent

Installation

Who do we have to talk to?

All installation procedures should be carried out observing the requirements of the relevant legislation. The two bodies who must be contacted are:

the local authority building control and
the Environment Agency (as previously mentioned)

These regulatory institutions will give guidance as to where a treatment plant and discharge point or soakaway can be situated.

Do we need planning Permission?
At the discretion of the local authority, in some areas of the country a treatment plant may need planning permission. If the plant is being installed as part of a new build project then permission should be part of the main approval. However, it should be noted that on many planning approval documents a phrase which is quite common in the conditions is ‘subsequent to EA/SEPA approval’. This means that a response is required from the EA before your project has full planning permission
Who should install the system?
The installation should be carried out by suitably trained and qualified personnel. Normal safety precautions must be taken and appropriate procedures observed to avoid accidents. Specialist advice is required when installing in an area with adverse ground conditions e.g. rock, running sand, high water table. Installation close to trees and shrubs is not recommended

Case Studies

CAMPING & CARAVAN CLUB 3-DAY EVENT
AUGUST 2016
1500 caravan: 6000 people

Created 42,000 litres per day of Elsan® / chemical toilet waste with no mains water flushing involved. At 7 litres per person this was highly concentrated waste, heavily perfumed with Elsan® Blue toilet chemical. Peak emptying of chemical toilets was after breakfast. Shower, washing and kitchen “grey” water was handled separately.

Elsan Tipping Point
Ilexlignum Herd

Ilexlignum Herd is a farming business owned by Anthony and Ruth Key in Eccleshall, Staffordshire. They breed and rear Ilexlignum Boer Goat and grow cereals such as wheat and oats. They have been successfully farming for several years and felt the time had come to diversify for a more secure future. They are located in a beautiful part of Staffordshire, where people like to visit, so they decided to use a pretty and secluded field for staycationers.

The field is off-grid and they would need to supply facilities for their camping and caravanner visitors staying with them. They would need safe disposal facilities for the chemical toilets, running water and running water to clean the disposal facilities in order to gain certification by the Caravan and Camping Club. They have also provided recycling bins, general waste bins and a secure gated site with good access.

Their research started at the Glamping Show where they met the Glampsan team who were exhibiting, and were not only impressed by the range of products but also the knowledge and expertise of the friendly Glampsan staff, who were able to recommend a solution for their situation.

They soon settled for the combination of the Elsan Tipping Point and 750-gallon Flat Tank, which was easy to use, simple to fit and to keep clean. With the choice made, ordered and delivered, they set about creating a setting that was aesthetically pleasing and easy to access. They decided to build a picket fence around it and have since added a chain and a stand for the lid whilst the Elsan Tipping point is in use.

If you would like information about our products, please visit our website https://bit.ly/2UpmfFU or contact our team 0800 999 6010

Fledgling Farm - Glampsan
Little Black Book 2022

When Anthony and Ruth Key researched waste solutions for their up and coming camping and Caravan site in Eccleshall, Staffordshire, they visited Glampsan’s stand at the Farm Business Innovation Show. They were really impressed by the range of products and the knowledge and expertise of the friendly Glampsan team, who were able to recommend a solution.

They soon settled for the combination of the Elsan Tipping Point and 750-gallon Flat Tank, which was easy to use, simple to fit and to keep clean. With the choice made, ordered and delivered, they set about creating a setting that was aesthetically pleasing, complete with easy access.

“The team at Glampsan were friendly, knowledgeable and extremely helpful,” says Anthony. “Their plastic waste tank and Elsan Tipping Point are the perfect solution for our camp site.”

“It was a pleasure to provide Anthony and Ruth with the ideal solution,” says Glampsan’s Jon Trelfa. “Whether it’s composting loos, waste tanks, sewage lifting stations or treatment plants, Glampsan has it all.”

If you would like information about our products, please visit our website https://bit.ly/2UpmfFU or contact our team 0800 999 6010

BLENCOWE HALL, THE ROWLEY ESTATES, CUMBRIA
Product: Off-grid waste collection tanks | Supplier: Glampsan 0800 999 6010, www.glampsan.com

When Christine and Charles Rowley researched shepherd’s huts for their thriving staycation business, they wanted to offer tranquillity, seclusion and luxury: a home from home even in the heart of an apparent wilderness. With luxury bathrooms and flushing toilets in an off-grid situation, she also needed a sympathetic way to control collecting grey and black waste. Cue Glampsan.

Nestled inconspicuously underneath each shepherd’s hut, Glampsan’s 750 gallon above ground waste tanks are each coupled with a level alarm to alert the owners before they need emptying. Guests use the toilet and washing facilities blissfully unaware of the controlled technology going on just beneath them. And that’s just how it should be.

“The staff at Glampsan were friendly, knowledgeable and extremely helpful,” says Christine. “Their plastic waste tanks were the ideal solution and they pulled out all the stops to deliver them within a week, despite the Covid challenges we all faced.”

“It was a pleasure to provide Christine and Charles with an appropriate solution,” says Glampsan’s Jon Trelfa. “Whether it’s composting loos, waste tank, sewage lifting stations or treatment plants, Glampsan has the solution.”

What is a composting toilet?

Also known as “dry” or “waterless” toilets, composting toilets are standalone toilet units, which work in a different way from the flushing loo to which we’re generally accustomed in our home or office environment.

How are they different?
They work by collecting and separating urine (wee) and solids (poo) into different compartments or places, allowing you to deal with each independently. In a composting toilet unit there is no connection to mains water (for flushing) or a mains waste pipe (to take the waste away).

So they're ideal in many applications where you don't have (or want) mains connection. They are particularly applicable to off-grid applications like camping and glamping sites.

Because there’s no flushing water involved, the volume of waste with which you have to deal is dramatically reduced. See our section 9 "Eco Credentials" for more details.

Key fact # 1:
There’s no hiding from the fact that you’ll need to become accustomed to a different mindset when using and/or operating a composting toilet – but the environmental benefits and potential cost savings are huge.

Key fact # 2:
Composting toilets are the first part of a two-part system: the vital, additional ingredient is a separate composting bin.

Step 1: the toilet collects the waste.
Step 2: the composting bin converts that waste into compost...and this takes a bit of time.

You’ll need a certain amount of involvement to make the two parts work together. But it’s simple! Read section 6 on “The composting process” for more details.

We offer two versions of composting toilets:

(1) The Eco and the Populett work as true collection tanks and composters where you will add "bulking material" into the toilet to cover the solids after every "poo" event. These toilets are heavily insulated so that heat builds and the composting process begins in the toilet unit itself.

(2) The Villa 9000, Villa 9010 and Villa 9020 are waste collecting toilets, which in outward appearance are similar to what we use at home. The subtle difference is there is no composting activity within these units and bulking material is not required. You will need to transfer the solids from the small 23 litre waste collection tank in the body of the unit (Villa 900 & Villa 9010) or a larger 50 litre collection tank below (Villa 9020). Transfer the collected "poo" as and when required to a separate composter (using the lidded waste tank). In these two units, . In design these look very much like the white porcelain toilet to which we're all accustomed, but they are still a compost toilet where no water is required and urine and faecal matter are separated. In the Villa range of products, the contents of the tank are always kept hidden by a special flap, which only opens when you sit down. A fan (mains or battery-powered) will operate to evacuate any smell.

Page Under Construction - How do composting toilets work?

Whichever of our toilet versions you choose, the toilet is essentially the collection and separation system for the raw ingredients. And just to be clear, by “ingredients” we do of course mean urine (wee) and solids (poo).

It really is all about the separation with composting toilets.

Once the wee and solids have been separated and collected, the solids will be transferred to a composting bin. In this composting bin, over time, the solids will be completely broken down and made safe by the composting process. (This is described in the section on “The Composting Process").

By keeping the collection and composting separate, the “collecting”toilet itself can be simplified: and whether the toilet is for your own use or for glamping guests, keeping it simple is REALLY good!

Composting toilets need to be robust, stylish and functional whilst offering the benefits of reduced water consumption, no sewage disposal costs and negligible energy bills. It’s a compact toilet that ticks all the environmental boxes and doesn't take up much space!

Key fact # 2: It really is all about the separation!The key to a low-maintenance, simple compost toilet is to keep liquids away from the solids.The separation of the two keeps maintenance at a minimum, makes it easy to deal with any odours and requires less frequent emptying.

Page Under Construction - Why is separating urine and solids so important?

For composting toilets, it really is all about the separation!

When you mix urine and solids together the result is termed “black water.” Left alone, this “brew” will start to break down and it will quickly become smelly. We really don’t want that.

So, we have to make sure that wee and solids do not mix. Enter, stage right, the composting toilet…backed up by a urine collection tank or a urine soakaway pit…and a composting bin to compost solids.

This is where users have to get used to using a composting toilet in a different way from the loo at home because the answer is to separate the wee from the poo as you're using the toilet.

Key fact # 2: ALL users need to SIT DOWN to use a composting toilet. As you sit, you'll notice that it's laid out in a slightly different way from at home. It's not whacky, it's just a bit different. Inside the "drop zone" you'll spot a urine diverter or urine separating bowl...it will become clear as you use the toilet. It's very simple.

Whether male or female, when you sit down on a composting toilet toilet, urine will be directed to the front and down the urine diverter and solids will drop down towards the rear into the main chamber of the “collecting” composting toilet. It doesn't matter whether you're male or female, it works the same way: but you do need to be seated. We don't want urine in the main chamber: that's just for poo.

Remember what we said about “black water,” if you mix urine and solids in the composting toilet, you’re creating challenging conditions.

The urine and solids separator:
The separator in the bowl of composting toilets is specially designed for this purpose. It has a front part to capture and direct the urine away, whilst a chute towards the rear ensures solids go straight down into the container below.

Once the wee and solids have been separated and collected, the solids will be transferred to a composting bin. In this composting bin, over time, the solids will be completely broken down and made safe by the composting process. (This is described in the section on “The Composting Process").

Page Under Construction - Why is separating urine and solids so important?

For composting toilets, it really is all about the separation!

When you mix urine and solids together the result is termed “black water.” Left alone, this “brew” will start to break down and it will quickly become smelly. We really don’t want that.

So, we have to make sure that wee and solids do not mix. Enter, stage right, the composting toilet…backed up by a urine collection tank or a urine soakaway pit…and a composting bin to compost solids.

This is where users have to get used to using a composting toilet in a different way from the loo at home because the answer is to separate the wee from the poo as you're using the toilet.

Key fact # 2: ALL users need to SIT DOWN to use a composting toilet. As you sit, you'll notice that it's laid out in a slightly different way from at home. It's not whacky, it's just a bit different. Inside the "drop zone" you'll spot a urine diverter or urine separating bowl...it will become clear as you use the toilet. It's very simple.

Whether male or female, when you sit down on a composting toilet toilet, urine will be directed to the front and down the urine diverter and solids will drop down towards the rear into the main chamber of the “collecting” composting toilet. It doesn't matter whether you're male or female, it works the same way: but you do need to be seated. We don't want urine in the main chamber: that's just for poo.

Remember what we said about “black water,” if you mix urine and solids in the composting toilet, you’re creating challenging conditions.

The urine and solids separator:
The separator in the bowl of composting toilets is specially designed for this purpose. It has a front part to capture and direct the urine away, whilst a chute towards the rear ensures solids go straight down into the container below.

Once the wee and solids have been separated and collected, the solids will be transferred to a composting bin. In this composting bin, over time, the solids will be completely broken down and made safe by the composting process. (This is described in the section on “The Composting Process").

Page Under Construction - Why is separating urine and solids so important?

For composting toilets, it really is all about the separation!

When you mix urine and solids together the result is termed “black water.” Left alone, this “brew” will start to break down and it will quickly become smelly. We really don’t want that.

So, we have to make sure that wee and solids do not mix. Enter, stage right, the composting toilet…backed up by a urine collection tank or a urine soakaway pit…and a composting bin to compost solids.

This is where users have to get used to using a composting toilet in a different way from the loo at home because the answer is to separate the wee from the poo as you're using the toilet.

Key fact # 2: ALL users need to SIT DOWN to use a composting toilet. As you sit, you'll notice that it's laid out in a slightly different way from at home. It's not whacky, it's just a bit different. Inside the "drop zone" you'll spot a urine diverter or urine separating bowl...it will become clear as you use the toilet. It's very simple.

Whether male or female, when you sit down on a composting toilet toilet, urine will be directed to the front and down the urine diverter and solids will drop down towards the rear into the main chamber of the “collecting” composting toilet. It doesn't matter whether you're male or female, it works the same way: but you do need to be seated. We don't want urine in the main chamber: that's just for poo.

Remember what we said about “black water,” if you mix urine and solids in the composting toilet, you’re creating challenging conditions.

The urine and solids separator:
The separator in the bowl of composting toilets is specially designed for this purpose. It has a front part to capture and direct the urine away, whilst a chute towards the rear ensures solids go straight down into the container below.

Once the wee and solids have been separated and collected, the solids will be transferred to a composting bin. In this composting bin, over time, the solids will be completely broken down and made safe by the composting process. (This is described in the section on “The Composting Process").

Page Under Construction - Why separating urine and solids is important

TO COMPLETE THE COMPOSTING PROCESS

Consider our Quick Composter eco 220 to finish off the composting process

Coming soon
Coming soon

Page Under Construction - Using a composting toilet

KEY POINTS

For the composting toilet to be truly successful, a bit of re-education in toilet habits is required. Using a composting toilet requires a slightly different method from how everyone uses a toilet at home or in the office. And as usingthem is a little different from a standard toilet, your guests / users will need to get their heads around this fact:

(1) you (women, men, girls and boys) always need to sit down to use it
(2) the absence of water generally means that you will need to add some "bulking material" once you've completed your "business". This will mean adding a peat/bark type compost down the loo after each visit. Our eco 200 and Populett 220 work in this way.

First things first, everyone has to sit down: girl, boy, woman, man.
This means that you are ideally positioned to direct urine (wee) towards the front of the unit and faecal matter (poo) to the back.
Keeping wee and poo separate is vital for composting toilets.
There is a
The only other "product" allowed in the composting toilet is tissue paper.
NO NAPPIES, SANITARY TOWELS, TAMPONS, WET WIPES: these will simply not degrade into compost and may even disrupt the action of composting. The latter are known to clog mains sewer pipes, so introducing them into a composting toilet is a definite no-no.
You need to add bulking material" once you've completed your "poo business". This will mean adding a peat/bark type compost down the loo after each visit. Our eco 200 and Populett 220 work in this way.

WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND SENSITIVELY WORDED SIGNS AND INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ROOM WHERE YOUR COMPOSTING TOILET IS LOCATED.

Waste levels can be controlled by visual check or by using a level alarm such as our Apollo Alarm

Page under construction - Where are composting toilets used?

Composting toilets are ideal for any application where a flush toilet is not possible or economical: for example, you may not have a mains water supply to your glamping pod, nor may you have the ability to collect and pump toilet waste from the glamping pod. Where the site is miles away from "civilisation" the composting toilet allows you and/or your guests to have access to toilet facilities whilst enjoying time "off the beaten track." And they're terrifically friendly to the environment.
Totally off-grid "eco" sites
Shepherd's huts, glamping lodges/pods with no access to mains water or sewage
Using a composting toilet, you can live wherever you want without harming the environment. We supply composting toilet solutions that can run on mains electricity, 12 volt DC power or no power. To see what existing users think of these products check out the testimonials section. Founded in 2012 Toilet Revolution have the largest range of composting toilets in the UK and Ireland.
Allotments, campsites, outdoor retreats and training centres, churches, narrow boats and garden rooms
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Composting toilets conserve precious resources!

It is estimated that in a domestic environment we each consume about 150 litres of water per day across a range of "activities."

To break this down a little, whilst showering and bathing, clothing and dishwashing consume large amounts of water as single activities, these may only take place once a day or a few times per week. e.g. a 5 minute electric-powered shower might consume 8 litres per minute, 40 litres per shower. Power showers consume much, much more.

Toilet habits:
However, the average healthy human being will visit the toilet 8-10 times per day. Even though modern toilet cisterns are generally restricted to a 4-6 litre flush, by adding on hand-washing as well, some sources indicate we use up to 10 litres of fresh water per toilet visit! So, that's a potential 60-100 litres of fresh water flushed away by every one of us, every day. That's a lot for a scarce resource.

A composting toilet requires absolutely no water. It simply separates urine and faecal matter in different directions.

Instead of a "standard" toilet cistern, which requires mains water and "consumes" 4-6 litres of water and waste with every flush, a composting toilet requires absolutely no water: it simply separates urine and faecal matter in different directions. By separating the two, waste volume is probably reduced by 75-80%.

Although personal habits and health vary from person to person, if we were all to drink the recommended 2 litres of liquid a day then we can generally assume about 1½ litres of that will come back out as urine. If you remove the flushing water from the toilet process, you're "potentially" reducing water waste to 1½ rather than 60-100 litres per person, per day. And as a composting toilet also separates urine and faecal matter in different directions, the resultant waste volume is furthered reduced by 75-80%. You simply have a certain volume of faecal matter.

To summarise their eco credentials, as composting toilets do not need water, they conserve our precious water resources. They massively reduce the use of fresh flushing water and therefore prevent the production of large volumes of (unnecessary) waste water which can harm watercourses and or need treatment at a sewage plant of sewage treatment works. Where you might otherwise collect waste in a cesspool, holding tank or septic tank, the use of composting toilets will mean that you will cut out the carbon footprint created by truck journeys to clean these tanks.

Page under construction - Key facts surrounding composting toilets

In no particular order, here are some key facts surrounding composting toilets
We will each pass about 1½ litres of urine per day (allow for variance with age, health, alcohol intake etc.)
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How do we (generally) deal with sewage?

WHEN MIGHT YOU USE WASTE LIFTING STATIONS?

In general, a sewage system is comprised of a network of pipes that carry sewage and grey water from a home or business to the mains sewer.

Typically, this network of pipes relies on gravity for the waste to flow into the mains sewer. It may also be directed into a septic tank, sewage treatment plant or above ground waste capture tank, such as our Flat Tank. In the home and work environments, most of us are accustomed to flushing the toilet and the waste "magically" disappears. It's not quite that simple, of course, it's a sign that the underground infrastructure is already in place to deal with it: from house, to mains sewer to sewage treatment works or septic tank.

However, for every "standard" situation where the waste is directed straight into the mains sewer, there are many applications where a mains sewer is not available and you will need to find an alternative solution. On a glamping site, for example, where the glamping pod is situated a long way from a mains sewer, the sewage needs to be transported to the main sewer or collection tank in a different way.

And that is where sewage and waste pumping stations come in.

Vertical / Horizontal Performance Chart

Typical pumping performance - depending on site conditions

Max pumping height 14m at 0 flow rate

How do we (generally) deal with sewage?

A waste pumping station is made up of a two main components: (1) a large plastic tank (known as an accumulation tank or chamber) into which (2) a submersible pump (or pumps) is fitted.

Available in a range of volumes and sizes,  the plastic tank acts as the receiver for sewage and/or grey water* from a glamping pod, several glamping pods, a building or even a group of buildings.

The waste pumping station is "sized" according to the projected waste volume your glamping pod or application will create within a certain timescale (usually a 24 hour period), and the distance and height the waste is to be pumped. For the pumping aspect to work, you will need mains electricity and, depending on your application, waste pumping stations are available in single or three phase electrical supply versions.

Waste from the individual sources (toilet, shower, sink etc.) flows under gravity into the accumulation tank where it will "sit" until it [the waste] reaches a predetermined level. The inbuilt pump incorporates a float switch, the latter rising on the waste as the chamber fills. Once the float switch reaches a certain level, the pump will kick in to "churn" and pressurise the sewage so that it will be pumped out of the chamber. Waste "leaves" the waste pumping station through appropriate hose or pipework, uphill and/or over distance to a point where it enters the mains sewer or is directed into a separate waste holding tank such as our flat tank.

The waste pumping station (depending on the model) has one or several 4" waste inlets (the same size as standard waste pipe from a domestic toilet) into which you direct the waste from your toilet(s). The outlet for the "churned" and pumped waste is via a 32-50mm fitting to which suitable pipe / hose is connected so that the waste is pumped away over distance. Finally, for the pumping station to work properly whilst this liquid is flowing in and being pumped out, a breather valve is also included.

Depending on your application, we may advise a macerating pump or a vortex pump.

*Please note: when collecting the waste from kitchen sinks where fats and cooking oils may be "introduced" into the waste water, we strongly recommend the installation of a grease trap underneath the sink / between sink and waste pumping station. Whereas fats and greases will readily flow into the tank in their warm or hot liquid states, once these liquids cool when they come into contact with the toilet waste inside the tank they will congeal as fat "bergs." This is certainly to be avoided as the operation of the pump(s) will be adversely affected.

When to use a waste lifting station?

Where your glamping pod is low to the ground and a "slide under" waste collection tank is not an option
In low-lying areas where the mains sewer or waste collection tank sits on higher ground than your glamping pod / house
Where you need to pump the waste a short distance to a separate waste collection tank, which is accessible for a liquid waste contractor
Where you have several glamping pods in fairly close proximity and wish to consolidate the waste handling with one piece of equipment
Where planning permission is not available owing to ground conditions (SSSI, ground water level, tree roots etc.)
When the cost of groundworks to put in pipework to allow the waste to flow by gravity is prohibitively expensive
When you wish to pump waste over water - e.g. from floating glamping pod to shore

Technical Aspects - pros and cons

Pro: a convenient way to manage waste on glamping sites, which, by their very nature, tend NOT to be near a mains sewer
Pro: relatively diminutive in size and groundworks requirement compared with a septic tank or sewage treatment plant
Pro: removable lid for easy access to pump(s) for maintenance purposes
Pro: may offer a more cost-effective route to get your glamping site to market
Pro: some models can be fitted with alarms / monitoring systems to keep operators in control
Pro: automatic operation requires no human intervention - health problems minimised
Pro: a size and model to suit most glamping applications
Pro: sourced from market-leading brand names
Consider: expert installation via plumber (for example) to ensure equipment is commissioned correctly
Consider: providing the correct electrical installation. Consult an electrician to check that your power supply is not overloaded.
Consider: grease traps to prevent the build up of fat bergs within the pumping station
Consider: warning signs to warn users against putting inappropriate items down their toilets

Where do you direct your pumped waste ?

WASTE RECEIVER

Waste pumped from a waste pumping station can be directed into several "receivers"

Pump waste from several shepherd's hut / glamping pods a short distance to one central waste holding tank, either above or below ground, which your preferred wet waste haulage contractor can then empty
Pump waste to a mains sewer - note: seek appropriate permissions
Pump waste to a septic tank or sewage treatment plant - note: seek appropriate permissions / check that the receiver can cope with the extra volume