United States Office of Water EPA 832-F-99-072

Environmental Protection Washington, D.C. September 1999

Agency

Water Efficiency
Technology Fact Sheet
Incinerating Toilets
DESCRIPTION C In areas where water is scarce due to drought
or other environmental conditions and the
Incinerating toilets are self-contained units need to conserve water motivates
consisting of a traditional commode-type seat consideration of alternative, water-free toilet
connected to a holding tank and a gas-fired or systems.
electric heating system to incinerate waste products
deposited in the holding tank. The incineration C Where community, environmental, and health
products are primarily water and a fine, non- organizations have concerns regarding
hazardous ash that can be disposed of easily and existing sewage disposal practices, especially
without infection hazard. seepage of contaminants into local water
supplies from improperly functioning septic or
APPLICABILITY other treatment systems, or exposure of
residents to improperly dumped waste
Though traditional water-flushing toilets are widely products from rudimentary collection pails
used throughout developed regions of the world, called “honey buckets.”
their use is not always feasible. For example:
All of these situations are potentially suited to the
C In rural areas where no municipal sewage use of incinerating toilets which are portable, water-
system exists, or where installation of septic free, and sanitizing.
systems is impractical or prohibitively
expensive due to shallow soils, steep slopes,
high groundwater levels, or extreme cold ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
weather conditions.
Often touted as a “pollution-free” technology,
C For remotely located roadside rest areas, incinerating toilets have some clear advantages over
where connection to a piped sanitary system many traditional methods of sewage disposal. There
is impractical and the cost unjustifiable. are also disadvantages that should be considered.

C For work crews operating in areas where Advantages

permanent toilets are not available.
C Uses no water.
C In marine vessels, for which discharge of
untreated waste into bodies of water is C Incineration cycle produces a fine, sterile ash
prohibited; human wastes must either be that can be thrown in the trash.
stored in tanks while at sea or be treated prior
to discharge. C Ash is space-saving; as little as one
tablespoon of ash is generated on average per
use.
C Incinerating toilet systems are portable, system. Not all units can be used during the
simple to install, and easy to use. Can be incinerating cycle. Some units require initiation of
installed in remote areas, either for temporary an incinerating cycle after each use while others
or permanent use. Can be installed in allow for multiple uses before an incineration cycle
unheated shelters, even in freezing takes place.
temperatures.
Electric Incinerating Toilets
C Relatively odorless in comparison to more
commonly used storage-in-disinfectant The Incinolet electric incinerating toilet
portable toilets. (Blankenship/Research Products, 1999) is designed
with a paper-lined upper bowl that collects newly
C In most areas, can be used in unheated deposited waste. To “flush,” a foot pedal is pressed
shelters without fear of freezing. causing an insulated chamber cover to lift and swing
to the side while the bowl halves separate, dropping
Disadvantages the paper liner and its contents into the chamber.
When the foot pedal is released, the chamber is
C Incinerating process destroys nutrients in the resealed and the bowl halves return to normal
waste; ash is inadequate for replenishing soil position.
nutrients.
Incineration is initiated by pressing a “start” button
C Incinerating requires energy, resulting in after each use of the toilet. The manufacturer does
higher average energy costs for users. not recommend using the toilet multiple times
between incineration cycles. The toilet can continue
C Units are not entirely pollution-free; both to be used while incineration is in progress. Once
portable electric generation (for remote the “start” button is pressed, an electric heating unit
locations) and propane fuel burning produce cycles on-and-off for 60 minutes while a blower
some air pollutants. motor draws air from the chamber over a heat-
activated catalyst bed designed to remove odor
C Anti-foam agents, catalysts or other additives components. Upon leaving the catalyst bed, the air
are typically required for use. is forced out through a vent line. Makeup air for
the chamber is drawn from the room in which the
C Some models cannot be used while the toilet is operating. The blower motor continues to
incineration cycle is in progress. operate after the heating cycle to cool the unit. A
complete cycle takes from 1.5 to 1.75 hours.
DESIGN CRITERIA
Five models of the Incinolet electric toilet are
Specific design criteria depend on the type of energy available: two for fixed locations (one four-person
used for incineration. Incinerating toilets are capacity and one eight-person capacity); two
designed with a chamber that receives and stores mobile- location units for motor homes, trailers and
human wastes until ready for incineration. The boats (one four-person and one eight-person); and
incinerating chamber is typically composed of a urinal (eight-person). The smaller capacity units
stainless steel or a cast nickel alloy. The chamber is are designed for 120 volt service, while the larger
accessed through a toilet seat support—part of a units require 240 volts. All models retain the same
housing made of non-corroding fiberglass reinforced fundamental design principles described above.
plastic or similar material—having a sealable
receiving opening for introduction of wastes into the Gas-Fired Incinerating Toilets
chamber. Vapor and products of combustion are
fed by blower fan to a venting system which may be Propane or natural gas-burning incinerating toilets
as simple as an exhaust pipe, or which may also are manufactured by Storburn International, Inc.
incorporate an afterburner or other odor control (Storburn, 1999; Lake Geneva A&C Corp, 1977.)
These units are equipped with a three gallon storage months. The second household used the Incinolet
chamber which can accommodate 40 to 60 uses for approximately three years; however, toilet use
before initiation of an incinerating cycle. To initiate was intermittent over this period and the outdoor
the cycle, an anti-foaming agent is manually added privy was preferred because of incomplete
to the chamber, a pilot is lit using a built-in piezo- incineration of waste products. The second
electric igniter, and the burner is activated. This household installed a septic system to replace both
procedure automatically locks down the unit so it the Incinolet and the privy. The study
cannot be used while the burner is in operation. A acknowledges that the Incinolet manufacturer
complete incineration cycle takes approximately 4.5 subsequently added catalyst as an incineration aid,
hours for a full chamber. but notes that the basic configuration of the unit was
unchanged.
PERFORMANCE

Evaluation of 19 On-Site Waste Treatment

Systems in Southeastern Kentucky. Cold Weather Operation Study of a Storburn
Propane Combustion Toilet
A comparative “blackwater” (human excrement
waste) treatment study, known as the Appalachian Researchers from the Alaska Area Native Health
Environmental Health Demonstration Project Service and from the University of Alaska,
(AEHDP), was conducted in southeastern Kentucky Anchorage, conducted an examination of Storburn
during the 1970s (U.S. EPA 1980.) As part of the propane combustion toilets whereby honey bucket
year study, twenty prototype systems representing waste was collected over nearly a month and
several alternative treatment technologies were burned in a Storburn toilet using various batch sizes
installed in private residences in southeastern and burn cycle times (Ritz and Schroeder, 1994.)
Kentucky during 1970 and 1971, including six All burn cycles were conducted while the toilet and
incinerating toilets. The region used for the study propane fuel tank were located outdoors, with
was mountainous, characterized by shallow soils, ambient temperatures reaching as low as -11°C.
steep slopes and high groundwater, having a Anti-foam reagent was added to the contents of the
demonstrated need for alternative treatment combustion chamber before each cycle to prevent
methods. Further, the study was performed in a boil-over of liquid waste.
low-income area where cost of installation and
operation was a critical consideration. The Storburn was found to effectively reduce
human wastes to ash, even at low ambient
Two of the six toilets used in the study were temperatures. On the coldest day tested, the
Incinolet brand units and the remaining four were exhaust temperature was measured going from -
Destroilet brand propane-fired toilets. Since the 11°C to 100°C (the boiling point of water) only one
Destroilet is no longer on the market, and was minute after ignition. On average, the ash remaining
significantly different in design from propane-fired after incineration amounted to 2.23 percent of the
toilets available today, findings related to the total weight of waste treated in the Storburn.
Destroilet are not relevant to this Fact Sheet. Moreover, microbiological examination of the
Results pertaining to the Incinolet electric toilet, resulting ash revealed no fecal contamination. The
however, are still pertinent. coldest temperatures tested did adversely impact
incineration, however, because the contents of the
The two users of Incinolet toilets complained of propane tank could not vaporize properly. To
incomplete waste incineration. Scraping of partly maintain an optimal fuel supply to the toilet, the
burned feces from the walls of the incinerating authors of the study recommend keeping propane
chamber was periodically necessary. One household tanks sheltered or heated when used in sub-zero
using the Incinolet deemed the operating cost conditions.
excessive, and abandoned the incinerating toilet in
favor of their outdoor privy after approximately six
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE h, this amounts to $160.00 per month or $1,920
annually.
Incinerating toilets are generally simple to operate,
either involving the press of a button to begin the According to the manufacturer, maintenance costs
operating cycle or the activation of a burner. The for the Incinolet include $0.08 per bowl liner used
degree of maintenance required depends on the (one per use), a new heating coil every one to three
model used. Storburn gas-fired toilets have no years ($89.10 each), and a new blower fan every
moving parts and routine maintenance involves two years ($8.95 each). Using the same
periodic cleaning of the burner and regular removal assumptions for frequency of use and replacing parts
of ash. every two years, the annual maintenance cost is
approximately $828.
Maintenance for the electric incinerating toilet
involves: Assuming a total purchase and installation cost of
$4,000, for a 10-year service life, the average annual
C Regular emptying of the ash collection pan. cost (including purchase, installation, operation and
maintenance averaged over 10 years) is $3,148 in
C Cleaning of the outer stainless steel surfaces 1999 dollars for the Incinolet electric toilet.
including the bowl halves.
Ritz and Schroeder performed a life-cycle cost
C Periodic (every 90 days) cleaning of the analysis for the Storburn propane toilet (Ritz and
blower motor with occasional replacement of Schroeder, 1994.) The authors calculated the
the blower wheel. annual operational cost per adult to be $233.60 and
the average annual maintenance cost to be $150.
C Cleaning and lubrication of the foot pedal Assuming a purchase and installation price of
mechanism. $4,000, the annual cost for four adult users
averaged over a 10-year service life is $1,484 in
C Removal of bits of paper and dust from the 1994 dollars. In 1999 dollars (assuming 5 percent
combustion chamber. inflation per year), this figure is equivalent to
$1,894. Since this estimate reflects unit operation
C Annual inspection of the catalyst. under cold-weather conditions, it may be assumed
that this represents the high end of the cost range;
COSTS the unit would require less energy for each burn
cycle when used indoors or in warmer climates, with
According to Incinolet product literature (Research correspondingly lower energy costs.
Products/Blankenship), a four-user electric
incinerating toilet costs $2,300; an eight-user toilet
costs $2,700. The purchase cost of a propane-
burning Storburn is $2,550; a natural gas-burning
unit costs is $2,590. Vent kits for both types of
toilet are not included in these costs.

The cost of electricity varies widely according to the

location of service. Domestic retail energy prices
can vary from $0.05 to $0.15 per kilowatt-hour.
The Incinolet electric toilet is claimed by the
manufacturer to use 2 kw-h per cycle. Assuming
four users, each using the toilet every 1.5 hours for
a use period of 10 hours, the electric toilet would
consume approximately 53 kw-h of energy per day,
or about 1,600 kw-h per month. At $0.10 per kw-
REFERENCES The mention of trade names or commercial products
does not constitute endorsement or recommendation
1. Lake Geneva A & C Corp, 1977. Store and for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Burn Incinerating Toilet and Method. Agency.
United States Patent US4051561.

2. Research Products/Blankenship. Incinolet

Electric Incinerating Toilet product ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
literature. Internet site at http:/www.
incinolet.com, accessed June 1999. Storburn International, Inc.
47 Copernicus Blvd., Unit #3
3. Ritz, P. and Schroeder, H.P., 1994. “Life Brantford, Ontario, Canada N3P 1N4.
Cycle Cost Analysis of a Storburn Propane Contact: David Gabriel, Owner
Combustion Toilet.” Paper presented at the Contact: Julie-Ann Friedrich
8th International Cold Regions Conference,
Fairbanks, Alaska. Research Products/Blankenship (Incinolet)
2639 Andjon Dr.
4. Storburn International. Storburn Dallas, TX 75220
International Inc. Gas-Fired Incinerating Contact: Carol McFarland
Toilet product literature. Internet site at
http://www3.sympatico.ca/storburn/, Dr. Herbert Schroeder
accessed June 1999. Associate Professor of Civil Engineering
University of Alaska
5. U.S. Congress, Office of Technology 3211 Providence Dr.
Assessment,1994. An Alaskan Challenge: Anchorage, AK 99508
Native Village Sanitation. OTA-ENV-591,
U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC.

6. U.S. EPA, 1980. Evaluation of 19 On-Site

Waste Treatment Systems in Southeastern
Kentucky. EPA 600/2-80-101, U.S. EPA,
Washington, DC.
For more information contact:

Municipal Technology Branch

U.S. EPA
Mail Code 4204
401 M St., S.W.
Washington, D.C., 20460