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Old 08-23-2015, 02:17 PM   #41
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Originally Posted by rbryan View Post
No offense to the OP or to anyone who disagrees with him, but it makes little difference if human waste is disposed of (mixed with sawdust) in the trash or if it goes down the sewer. In the sawdust case, it goes to a landfill, and biodegrades. If it goes down the sewer, its treated at the water treatment plant where it's separated from the water. The biosolids (processed sludge) that are left are given to farms as fertilizer, buried in landfills or incinerated. So, sewer disposal means eventual use as fertilizer or as landfill mass, and sawdust toilet waste as landfill mass.

I'm not speaking to the legalities, since they can differ greatly from place to place - just the fact that they both can wind up at the same place.

While it is true that ultimately that waste disposed of in the methods expounded upon in this thread, there is a major difference. Waste which is disposed of into a septic tank which may be pumped or into a sanitary sewer goes into a closed system and ultimately is treated by waste water professionals, away from potential contact with the general public. Human waste that is disposed of in a dumpster has the potential to be contacted by the general public. Human waste can contain any number of pathogens, including both bacteria and viruses. Having had a background in microbiology and having worked with public utilities for the last 25 years prior to retiring, it is my opinion that any method of human waste disposal where the public may come in contact with the waste is a bad idea, and should be avoided.


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Old 08-23-2015, 02:27 PM   #42
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Originally Posted by Ellpea in CA View Post

The purpose of the OP was to share information, cost, and procedure, and he did so with good photos and explanations. There are obviously going to be disagreements about this, and there won't be a way to resolve them, any more than we can all come to an agreement about tow vehicles and weights. This an even more personal issue, and my feeling is that so long as the sawdust user and/or kitty litter fan takes every precaution to be as considerate of others and the environment as possible, we should consider this an individual choice and let it go at that.
Yup & the purpose of my response was to also share with the OP that in many areas of NA that have moved beyond the chamber pot age in regards to the handling of human waste it is actually illegal to dispose of human or dog or cat waste in a public landfill. Simple put it is a BIG health issue. Something that apparently some here appear not to be aware of.

Another consideration is that in many areas of NA the use of plastic bags and the disposal of them into landfills is something that is look down on due to the environmental implications and the disposal of plastic bags into the landfill is to be avoided when ever possible. In fact just last week-end while taking a load of garbage to the local dump one of the works came over and went through the bag I had to make sure there was no plastic in it at all! So in my view the need to double bag the human waste and sawdust while traveling into two plastic bags as you suggest be done would seem to go against what I suspect the OP was actually attempting to achieve in the design.

Bottom line is the disposal of human waste when traveling for the health and safety of all is best disposed of into a sewage system that is built and designed to treat the waste in the safest way possible.

As with all things what the OP chooses to do with the information provided here is as always up to them.
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Old 08-23-2015, 03:33 PM   #43
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There is enough disagreement about this issue that I will take steps to contact some public health officials and seek advice.
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Old 08-23-2015, 04:10 PM   #44
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I don’t know if throwing a sawdust & human waste bag in a trash container is legal or not, but certainly not any worst than what’s already in these containers (just about any type of nasty bacteria or haz mat). It’s not like if you just throw the bag out there on the roadside, to ferment and compost by itself until it’s all biodegraded (which could take years). The trash container will not be the bag’s final resting place, exactly like what’s in your porta-potti will not stay in there forever. It will get picked up with the rest of the trash and be properly disposed of, whatever this means locally.

I don’t see this any worst than using an RV septic tank with tank deodorant. What’s worst for the planet, a couple plastic bags with human waste, or some chemical deodorant with human waste? Not sure what the answer is!

In the end, what you have to ask yourself is would you trade a regular RV toilet and septic system for a sawdust system? I have no experience with a sawdust system, but I am very sceptical that it works as good as the OP mentionned. I just don’t see a bucket full of urine-soaked sawdust having no smell after a couple days at 80 degrees. Geez, my daugther had a guinea pig that lived in a sawdust and wood chip filled cage and that smelled like _ _ _ _ after 3 days! If it really works, well good for the OP, but I would have to see (or smell) it in person first!

Also, you have to admit that waiting in line at the dump station when leaving the campground makes you feel like you have a big rig. What’s to brag about just dropping a plastic bag in the container?
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Old 08-23-2015, 04:50 PM   #45
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Everybody, please, don't look down on the various life forms that actually do take care of this stuff in the end! It is not man-made chemistry, it is natural chemistry. The sewer plants simply provide a nice environment for them to thrive in, the water cycle being the most widely used one. Those completely sealed, impenetrable land fills, I am not so sure about. There are so many "cycles" around, in most cases we just simply do not know what they do.
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Old 08-23-2015, 05:01 PM   #46
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Clip
"Also, you have to admit that waiting in line at the dump station when leaving the campground makes you feel like you have a big rig. What’s to brag about just dropping a plastic bag in the container?
"

I think that the choices being offered were Porta-Potties vs. the Sawdust Box. The whole discussion of Porta-Potties vs. Black tanks, stinky slinkys and the joy of dump station camaraderie is another, entirely different, issue. LOL



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Old 08-23-2015, 05:44 PM   #47
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...I am only being critical...
'Nuff said.
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Old 08-23-2015, 07:44 PM   #48
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Originally Posted by Ellpea in CA View Post
There is enough disagreement about this issue that I will take steps to contact some public health officials and seek advice.
A good place to start may be your local EPA.

An interesting read from the National Parks Service on the topic:
www.nps.gov Human Waste Disposal restrictions and Vault Toilet Removal Announced for Needles District

Reads in part:
"Disposing of untreated human waste in landfills is prohibited by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Landfill safe waste bags must be disposed of in a designated human waste receptacle, and portable toilet system contents must be emptied into a designated sewage treatment/dump station facility. Dumping portable toilet system contents and/or putting wag bags into vault or flush toilets are prohibited."

"Human waste in the backcountry is becoming a greater resource protection and human health concern as park visitation increases. Park officials encourage all visitors coming to enjoy the region's backcountry trails and roads to plan ahead for ensuring they can properly contain and dispose of their human waste."
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Old 08-23-2015, 08:54 PM   #49
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The whole pack out your waste from federal lands thing always makes me sad-laugh a little, given those spaces are positively sloshing with industrial and agricultural pollution. Even adding up all the potential cat holes it's going to have less impact than acid rain/mine runoff/fracking byproducts/etc.

Don't worry, I'm not advocating leaving one's dumps in a pack-it-out zone. It's just a rolly-eyes thing.

Back to the spirited discussion of toilets.
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Old 08-23-2015, 09:23 PM   #50
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Back to the spirited discussion of toilets.

Are we having fun yet?
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Old 08-23-2015, 09:27 PM   #51
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So who trumped who?
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Old 08-23-2015, 09:34 PM   #52
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A very good lead

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carol H View Post
A good place to start may be your local EPA.

An interesting read from the National Parks Service on the topic:
www.nps.gov Human Waste Disposal restrictions and Vault Toilet Removal Announced for Needles District
Carol H,
Thank you for this link. Your search term was better than mine, because I didn't come up with anything this close.

The two bits of info most relevant to this discussion are in bold below:
Use of a toilet system that is either: 1) washable and reusable, allowing for the sanitary transfer of waste to sewage treatment facilities, or 2) of the type that treats solid waste with dry chemicals and is EPA approved for disposal in landfills (a.k.a. "wag bags") will be required.
and
"Landfill safe waste bags must be disposed of in a designated human waste receptacle"
So for the purpose of the discussion here, what we need to know is:

1. What dry chemicals treat solid waste acceptably (and make it acceptable for landfills)?

2. What is meant by "wag bags" (are they related to the "Double Doodie")?

3. WHAT IS A "DESIGNATED HUMAN WASTE RECEPTACLE"?
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Old 08-23-2015, 09:37 PM   #53
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So who trumped who?
I believe you mean, "So who trumped whom?"

To answer the question, I'm not sure every discussion has a trumper and a trumpee. Sometimes it's just a learning experience.
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Old 08-23-2015, 09:41 PM   #54
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1. It's sure not sawdust
2. Cleanwaste WAG Bags at nrs.com
3. It's a metal container with a difficult to open top, found in national parks marked something like: "Bagged or Packaged Human Waste Only" "Diapers, WAG Bags etc." I've see both Purple and Yellow.



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Old 08-23-2015, 10:08 PM   #55
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1. It's sure not sawdust
2. Cleanwaste WAG Bags at nrs.com
3. It's a metal container with a difficult to open top, found in national parks marked something like: "Bagged or Packaged Human Waste Only" "Diapers, WAG Bags etc." I've see both Purple and Yellow.
I just found the Wag Bags on Amazon. This is what the vendor says:

The Cleanwaste WAG Bag, Toilet in a Bag Waste Kit, is the key to the Cleanwaste Dry Toilet System. The biodegradable bag contains a powder that gels waste, neutralizes odors and starts the decay process.
Each WAG Bag kit contains an outer zip-close disposal bag, a waste collection bag preloaded with waste treatment powder, toilet paper and a hand sanitizer towellete.
The WAG (Waste Alleviation and Gelling) Bag contains enough gelling powder for 3-4 uses.
The double bag system is made from a puncture resistant material. It's spill proof and hygienic.
The double bagged WAG bag is approved for disposal in any garbage can.
In addition to use while boating, the bags work great when hiking, backpacking, rock climbing or as part of an in-home emergency kit.
They're essential for backcountry winter sports when it's impossible to dig a "cat hole" for burying waste.
Many boating areas now require you to carry out human waste. Even for those that don't, the removal of waste products protects the environment. Always check ahead with the area management agency to find out what they require for carry out systems.

Always pack out used bags in a rigid, waterproof container.
I'm tempted to believe that the WAG bag is a Double Doodie bag by another name with diaper biogel added.
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Old 08-23-2015, 10:53 PM   #56
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Most informative article yet

Can't really share how I got there... just kept following links and stumbled onto this one:
Human Waste Disposal in the Backcountry: How to p** and p**p in the woods


This held my interest because it discusses the practice required on Mt. Shasta, which I can see from my home. Other locations include Colorado's San Isabel National Forest and Mt. Whitney. Information shared comes courtesy of "Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics."

It shares in part: "Rangers at Mt. Shasta offer a user-friendly homemade kit to all their hikers, which includes an 11 x 17 sheet of paper with a bull's-eye printed on it for pickup. Just place the bull's-eye on your poo pile, according to White, and you'll have plenty of paper to wrap around it, avoiding all hand contact. Their kit also includes a one-gallon Ziploc bag and a sack with kitty litter. There are disposal receptacles at the trailhead, and hikers can pick up kits there or at area outdoor shops.

Users who make their own Wag Bags should note that homemade versions can't be tossed into landfills, as can EPA-approved commercial ones, like GO Anywhere, Biffy Bags, and ReStop."
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Old 08-24-2015, 05:15 AM   #57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellpea in CA View Post
Still looking for answers... if it's OK (or not OK) to dispose of doggie pooh-bags and where, and how is human waste different from kitty waste in kitty litter?

In the meantime, in looking for answers, I found this article about new technology (too expensive for Rv's but very interesting new methods)

This Is What A Toilet Looks Like When Bill Gates Is Involved | Co.Exist | ideas + impact

LP (still researching)
Ellpea, this is what I found for Seattle:

Pet Waste & Litter
Put dog poop and used kitty litter into the garbage. Double bag, tie off tightly to prevent air inside. This prevents bags from "exploding" near workers, when compacted.
Pet waste cannot be composted in the food and yard waste cart or in backyard composting bins.
Do not flush kitty litter down the toilet.
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Old 08-24-2015, 05:24 AM   #58
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In King County (including Seattle) it is legal to put human fecal matter in regular garbage can or dumpster:

Solid waste disposal in King County

Disposable diapers, adult incontinence products, and other materials contaminated with feces may be thrown out in the regular garbage if they are placed in a sealed plastic bag.
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Old 08-24-2015, 05:37 AM   #59
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In King County (including Seattle) it is legal to put human fecal matter in regular garbage can or dumpster:

Solid waste disposal in King County

Disposable diapers, adult incontinence products, and other materials contaminated with feces may be thrown out in the regular garbage if they are placed in a sealed plastic bag.

Could be that King County utilizes an incinerator rather than landfill for solid waste disposal???? They operate at such high temperatures that it would reduce most everything to ash.


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Old 08-24-2015, 09:27 AM   #60
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Basically, vendor advertising claims are hearsay unless backed up with pesky little items like EPA approval numbers etc. That said, as we know, this blanket statement by Cleanwaste just isn't true:
"The double bagged WAG bag is approved for disposal in any garbage can."
Approved by who? The vendor?


And, in looking top to bottom of their site, I can't seem to find any references whatsoever to the EPA or alleged approvals.
http://www.cleanwaste.com/


The entire issue of how to take care of personal hygiene needs of backcountry hikers is entirely different than the same issue in an RV and reailty don't intersect at a sheet of 11x17 paper with a bull's-eye drawn on it. The latter is a localized answer to deal with a localized issue for a select group and, considering State and National Parks budgets, it's an accomplishment to be applauded. Just don't try emulating it in front of Old Faithful. LOL


In as much as this has drifted soooo far from the original issue, and the OP hasn't bothered to reply to questions about their claims, I'm moving on to issues that are more FGRV related.


I'm Out......



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