Waterless urinals going mainstream

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Suburban600 @ Jul 1 2007, 05:58 AM) [snapback]470963[/snapback]</div>

What of all the antiobiotics, hormones (birth control) and other medicines we ingest? These are not always inert by the time they leave our body and they're having affects on our watersheds and the inhabitants. These substances are no good for our watersheds and they're probably no good in our soil or for the microbes, etc. in our soil. Anyway to render these substances inert in urine before using it as a fertilizer?

http://mainefishingtoday.com/blog/?p=407

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Jul 2 2007, 12:55 PM) [snapback]471555[/snapback]</div>

Need to defer to a scientific type. Don't know if the normal septic and or wastewater treatment is effective. These substances are mentioned in the Danish study in my original post. I don't recall if they studied the impact.

 

we had two of them installed at my work last year. they were taken out because people could not understand that you could not put anything into them like toilet paper, etc. and yes, they did smell a bit but was more than willing to put up with that for the conservation efforts. my problem... i work with a bunch of idiots.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Suburban600 @ Jul 3 2007, 10:02 AM) [snapback]472262[/snapback]</div>

D'oh, so sorry. Didn't see that.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Jul 3 2007, 12:00 PM) [snapback]472296[/snapback]</div>

Please accept my apologies.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Suburban600 @ Jul 4 2007, 04:43 PM) [snapback]473168[/snapback]</div>

You people are too bloody polite.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tripp @ Jul 5 2007, 05:26 PM) [snapback]473669[/snapback]</div>

Yea, you've got to draw the line here and not accept any stinking apologies.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tripp @ Jul 5 2007, 04:26 PM) [snapback]473669[/snapback]</div>

Maybe so........ I didn't see anything Suburban600 said that was offensive to require an apology!

But Tripp, you don't have to be a snitty bloke. (Was that rough enough around the edges for you?)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Jul 6 2007, 09:51 AM) [snapback]474018[/snapback]</div>

:lol:
Beauty. Just giving you lot a hard time.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Jul 6 2007, 11:51 AM) [snapback]474018[/snapback]</div>

D'oh, so sorry? I'm not certain either what a snitty bloke might be. But if that means we are cleared hot to keep talking about s#%t and p#*s then fantastic. Two of my favorite subjects since I was a wee one.

After all it is the big day for environmentalism...would be cool if the save the earth day folks would collect all of the "product" produced at the various concerts put it all in a methane digester and save the gas to run the generators for the next big event.

Seriously if one is squeamish about direct applications of fecal matter or urine one might want to look into methane production utilizing the household waste stream(s). The anerobic decomposition which occurs may have an impact on the medical and homonal pollutants (again must defer to the scientific types) which currently exist in both human and farm animal waste streams.

Last night on Larry King a dairy farmer showed a product he calls "cow pots" during a discussion of "dirty jobs" with ... the dirty jobs show guy. These "cow pots" are made from the post digested material (poo, s#%t, p%$s etc). As I understand it crude methane digesters are used in places like China to produce cooking gas or to power generators.

The Dairy Farmer on last nights Larry King show uses the methane from his digester to produce power for his home and farm.

He probably uses a system similar to the one described in this corporate link. http://www.alliantenergy.com/docs/groups/p...ub/p014727.hcsp

Waterless urinals are certainly a nice idea especially in dry areas. However, I believe we need to move past the out of sight out of mind philosophy we have with regard to human and animal waste. After all, wouldn't the municipal recycling of human and animal waste into energy and fertilizer be beneficial?

 

I do mechanical design of green buildings, and waterless urinals are standard where allowed by code. They have some code issues in places; rumor has it that the plumber unions hate 'em since they cut down on the piping work in a building, although there are well paid and lawyer'd up experts who will happily let you know all the potential technical problems with them (which I have never seen occur in any actual installation, and these things have been around a while...).

Smell is not an issue provided they are properly maintained. Unmixed with water, urine is surprisingly odor free (it is usually sterile, and pretty hostile to bacteria). Unlike standard urinals, they do have a trap cartridge that needs to be changed out regularly. Still, in the green field they are a no-brainer. Yes, there are uses for the urine when you separate it out. No, we have not been able to find a waterless women's urinal (flush type female urinals are available, and we're chasing down a urine-separating toilet for the women folk too).

Most of the real cutting-edge water approaches are banned by slow-changing conservative codes. It's getting a bit better as the IPC is taking over for the UPC in many places, but it is still a real fight to do anything innovative. For example, in one state onsite treated waste water (typically using a subsurface constructed wetlands arrangement with a touch of UV and filtration) that is used only to flush toilets must be tested for coliform bacteria daily - that is, before you flush with it you must verify it has no traces of the bacteria commonly found in sewage. And don't even try to get rain water, filtered and sterilized by UV, approved for washing hands, even in sinks with big "NONPOTABLE WATER - HANDWASHING ONLY" signs over them and drinking fountains provided on the adjacent wall.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rand Reed @ Jul 1 2007, 05:33 AM) [snapback]470974[/snapback]</div>

OK, I'd aim at GWB, but a urinal should give everybody a target (otherwise repubs would hit the floor). Maybe Hillary on the left, W on the right of the bowl