Compost toilet in a strawbale roundhouse
I originally wrote this article back in 2017. I stopped making toilets in 2019 and closed my business website, but Karuna is a lovely place, so I thought I'd keep it alive!
In 2017, I made a compost toilet for Janta and Merav, who have created a place called Karuna in Shropshire. Although they’ve been resident on the site since 2007, they managed to obtain planning permission to build a strawbale, green roof roundhouse (after a very long and arduous struggle with the planning authorities).
Since moving onto the 16 acre site, they have planted well over 9,000 trees and are demonstrating and living a low-impact future through forest gardening, permaculture and sustainable practices.
At the very start, Janta built a simple but effective ‘long drop’ style compost toilet. However, Merav was less keen on trudging across a field to use the toilet, especially at night or when it was dark, wet and cold!
Janta, being a free-spirit, says he’ll always use his outside loo with a view, but Merav will benefit greatly from having an indoor waterless toilet!
Merav chose the ‘untreated’ Eco-Loo compost toilet that I was making at that time, complete with solid oak toilet seat. Once fully installed, they’ll be applying a few coats of Tung oil to protect and enhance the wood.
You can find out more about Karuna on their website: karuna.org.uk
I stopped making compost toilets in 2019. However, you can get urine separators to make your own compost toilet, take a look at the Separett Privy which you can purchase online from WooWoo Waterless Toilets in the UK.