Compost Toilet in Canada?

[Bob M]

This compost toilet has a removable urine tank. Would a boat with this type of compost toilet be allowed in Canadian waters?

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. B. To the best of my knowledge a "porto-potti" (pp) type device must be securely fastened to your vessel and plumbed to a pump-out deck fitting. This means the owner of the pp can't easily take it and dump it. I suspect your readily removable tank might not be allowed.

From another site evidently from Ontario, Canada government: Regulations may be different in other provinces.

The toilet and equipment are connected in such a manner that the equipment receives all toilet waste from the toilet.
Equipment designed for the storage of human excrement is provided with a deck fitting and such connecting piping as is necessary for the removal of toilet waste by shore-based pumping equipment.
No means of removal of toilet waste is provided other than the means mentioned above.
All parts of the system for removal of toilet waste are congruent with one another and the boat.

 

[mvweebles]

Looks like a Nature's hlHead compost head (actually a dessicating head). This qualifies as a USCG Type III device and is accepted in most (all?) locations, even NDZ. (Type III is a device that prevents the overboard discharge of treated or untreated sewage or any waste derived from sewage. This type of device is typically a holding tank and may include other types of technology including incineration, recirculation, and composting).

I realize Canada isnt the US but the USCG regulations seem to be the same as other nations have adopted. I am pretty sure there is an international regulation that all jurisdictions - USCG included - have adopted.

Question becomes what you do with the refuse to comply with NDZ requirements and similar.

I use a Nature's Head and am fairly happy with it.

Peter

 

[Bob M]

Based on Ontario's regulations it appears that a compost toilet is not allowed on boats in the province and the portable urine tank is also not allowed. If we cruised in Canada, it would most likely be in Ontario waters.

I'm rehabbing a 1973 SeaCamper. It looks like I'll have to include a blackwater tank, a deck pump-out fitting, a vent for the tank, a seacock, a conventional marine head and hoses. Or, stay out of Canada.

The air draft on this boat will be low enough to clear all the old Erie Canal fixed bridges; we could do the Great Loop sans-Canada.

 

[mvweebles]

You might ask the same question on CruisersForum. Quite a few more folks with compost heads, and many are Canadians so they would know the specific regulations. Arguably, a compost head is zero discharge so I'd be interested to know how a territory disallows one, and what they do permit in its stead.

Please report back with whatever you find. Specific citations are best given there is a lot of uninformed chatter on topics such as compost heads.

Peter

 

[SteveK]

But is it legal?

Yes. Composting toilets are legal marine sanitation devices in coastal (salt) waters in Canada, and all waters in the USA (including fresh water).

Looks like not the great lakes Canadian side

 

[mvweebles]

Here are the Canadian regulations as best I can find via search on my phone.

Sewage

Sewage

tc.canada.ca

Section 86 of the regulations requires that a vessel has a toilet on board to have a holding tank or an approved marine sanitation device. With some exceptions, the discharge of untreated sewage into all Canadian inland waters and Canadian coastal waters within 3 nautical miles of land (ships less than 400 tons) and 12 miles of land (ships larger than 400 tons) is now banned.

Compost heads are an approved MARPOL holding tank MSD system and should meet Section 86 requirements. Can someone point to a specific citation that states otherwise within the Canadian Great Lakes?

Peter

 

[SteveK]

Discharge appears to be prohibited, so it is mute that compost toilets are allowed as holding device. Where but land can you get rid of the stuff on Canadian great lakes.

 

[mvweebles]

The OP is trying to understand whether he needs to spend thousands of dollars to install a traditional wet MSD - accuracy is important to him. He states that according to Canadian regulations, the issue is a portable urine tank. As an owner/user of a compost head, I'm interested in accurate regulatory information even though I'm unlikely to ever cruise Canada with Weebles. For some reason, compost heads elicit more speculation, vitriol and hyperbole than almost any other boating topic. Getting to core information is really helpful.

I'd be curious to see the information behind the OPs conclusion in post #4 that Ontario regulations exclude use of compost toilets and why (if the urine tank were fixed, would that satisfy the requirement?).

EDIT - a quick Google search turned up this. Permits and Regulations on Composting Toilets - Composting Toilets Canada

The Nature’s Head is legal on the US side of the Great Lakes. It’s USCG approved. However, on the Canadian side, you need a modification. The urine will have to be drained to a holding tank. ......... If you install a small holding tank (even an empty gas can), and run the urine into it, you are 100% legal on the Canadian side.​

Peter