Composting toilet on Dragons' Den

[Minxy]

Just watched an episode of Dragons' Den which had a couple on trying to get investment for their CompoCloset toilets. They have 3 options, a simply one which separates the urine and solids to which you add compost type material after each 'no 2' to speed up the 'composting' aspect of the solid waste; another which does this but also has an 'agitator' to turn the solids to encourage composting and one that seals the solids in a bag. The only 'innovation' from the existing ones on the market is that the 'agitator' handle is at the front rather than the side which they are trying to patent.

Lots of talk about putting them in RVs (motorhomes) and discussion about getting mainstream manufacturers to do so which I couldn't take seriously. There's not a hope in hell that will ever happen, maybe some will offer something as an option (I think one manufacturer does already), but certainly not a replacement for the familiar and well loved cassette.

Decided to look them up ... the cost of the basic one is £650!

Cuddy Lite portable composting toilet - CompoCloset UK

Meet Cuddy Lite your easy to install and use portable composting toilet. Chemical-free and eco-friendly, the Cuddy Lite is the way to go!

compocloset.co.uk

 

[Winger]

Good idea. Where there is muck there is money

 

[Jays2]

Composting in A Motorhome is a none starter.

Composting with a turning paddle is a none starter.

Just imagine a loo container with a paddle!

What would the paddle have on it?

How would you empty it?

No bag as the paddle is in the way.

Imagine trying to empty it in a bin!

All depends on your diet!

How much fibre keeping you regular.

 

[Just smiffy]

I wish they would stop calling them composting toilets, yes they would be if someone leaves the in there for 4 months but it’s basically pissing in a bottle and in a bucket because after it’s “composted “ for a day or two they put it in a plastic bag and throw it in a bin….

Something I do already for 2p a bag……

Ed: just seen it’s £650……….

 

[DBK]

Thetford already sell a "separating toilet" which seems to work if that's what you need.

 

[Lenny HB]

I wish they would stop calling them composting toilets, yes they would be if someone leaves the in there for 4 months but it’s basically pissing in a bottle and in a bucket because after it’s “composted “ for a day or two they put it in a plastic bag and throw it in a bin….

Something I do already for 2p a bag……

Ed: just seen it’s £650……….

As I've said before it really annoys me too.

 

[Jays2]

You can turn your cassette into a separation loo.

 

[Jays2]

And no need ever to remove the cassette!

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[Jays2]

And yes you do use it, just differently!

 

[dunnah01]

I couldn't understand where the bag if $h1t was disposed of. From my railways experience all the trees are already full of ornamental black doggy $h1t bags

 

[dabhand]

A bit like a bucket and sawdust type of thing, just add glue and turn into logs, hey presto, rainforests saved, wood shortage ended, planet returns to rude health, win win!

 

[TheAleMan]

Just watched an episode of Dragons' Den which had a couple on trying to get investment for their CompoCloset toilets. They have 3 options, a simply one which separates the urine and solids to which you add compost type material after each 'no 2' to speed up the 'composting' aspect of the solid waste; another which does this but also has an 'agitator' to turn the solids to encourage composting and one that seals the solids in a bag. The only 'innovation' from the existing ones on the market is that the 'agitator' handle is at the front rather than the side which they are trying to patent.

Lots of talk about putting them in RVs (motorhomes) and discussion about getting mainstream manufacturers to do so which I couldn't take seriously. There's not a hope in hell that will ever happen, maybe some will offer something as an option (I think one manufacturer does already), but certainly not a replacement for the familiar and well loved cassette.

Decided to look them up ... the cost of the basic one is £650!

https://compocloset.co.uk/products/cuddy-l

I wish they would stop calling them composting toilets, yes they would be if someone leaves the in there for 4 months but it’s basically pissing in a bottle and in a bucket because after it’s “composted “ for a day or two they put it in a plastic bag and throw it in a bin….

Something I do already for 2p a bag……

Ed: just seen it’s £650……….

Just like dog owners do with their little bags of by_product , ours gets bagged and binned. Don’t knock it till you try it I say, it’s the best system we have ever used. We have had big waste tanks and the traditional toilet cassette and our current system beats them both hands down. We also go 2 weeks before we need to empty. It’s not composting no but, it could be done if we had access to a compost heap and we would do that…why not. we do the best we can though by using biodegradable bags in our ‘separator' toilet to give it the best chance in land fill if it ever gets there.

 

[Jays2]

We on a short UK trip use our dog waste composting bin in our garden for the contains of our separator.
I agree is the best system to have, our liquid is directed into our grey tanks.

 

[Dfc]

So the solids are bagged, what happens to the liquids?
Site waste bins can be smelly enough at times without bags of getting thrown in and splitting as most plastic bags do.
It’s also increasing the use of plastic bags which I thought we were trying to reduce.

 

[Jays2]

Liquid is grey waste, solid in the bin along with the dog poo.
As for the bag splitting, do you think that folk put bags in the separating loo that are weak?
Cheap but not take cheap!
And composting bags for human and dogs are the way forward , you just need to get onboard!
As for sites waste, it is collected commonly via the area you are in, collected away as you are not home.
You can only generate waste at a personal level irrespective of location.

 

[Grey Fox]

Biodegradable bags don’t degrade in landfill sites which provide anaerobic conditions, in all probability they will last for many many years before eventually releasing micro plastics. Emptying waste into a proper disposal point is far more environmentally friendly.

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[Jays2]

Yes what ever you think.

You do you!

 

[TheAleMan]

Biodegradable bags don’t degrade in landfill sites which provide anaerobic conditions, in all probability they will last for many many years before eventually releasing micro plastics. Emptying waste into a proper disposal point is far more environmentally friendly.

We do the best regarding for the system we use. We do not poop into bags direct..ours goes straight into the collection bin and when full gets deposited into 30l biodegradable black bags and binned. I bet we don't do as much damage to the environment as cassette users or waste tank folk, knowing that a considerable amount of the waste from them ends up in our rivers and ultimately our seas. That's been well documented over the last couple of years or more.Our pee bottle goes down the elsan when on campsites and deposited around trees and into bushes when we are wilcamping for instance,which is permissible. Each to their own, but we love our separator toilet very much.

 

[Ernesto]

We do the best regarding for the system we use. We do not poop into bags direct..ours goes straight into the collection bin and when full gets deposited into 30l biodegradable black bags and binned. I bet we don't do as much damage to the environment as cassette users or waste tank folk, knowing that a considerable amount of the waste from them ends up in our rivers and ultimately our seas. That's been well documented over the last couple of years or more.Our pee bottle goes down the elsan when on campsites and deposited around trees and into bushes when we are wilcamping for instance,which is permissible. Each to their own, but we love our separator toilet very much.

I guess in a tiny number of Motorhomes that might work ....but if that "system" ever became more then very niche, it would become very unfine very soon....

 

[Otter Spotter]

Biodegradable bags don’t degrade in landfill sites which provide anaerobic conditions, in all probability they will last for many many years before eventually releasing micro plastics. Emptying waste into a proper disposal point is far more environmentally friendly.

I thought most Biodegradable bags are made of Corn Starch or such like so it only needs to rain a couple of times on them and they will degrade.

 

[BusyBuilder]

Urine in your grey tank ?

 

[Jo May]

Here's an idea.... pre-composted food.

 

[Ernesto]

Here's an idea.... pre-composted food.

I think there are a few places that already serve that .....?

 

[Ernesto]

I thought most Biodegradable bags are made of Corn Starch or such like so it only needs to rain a couple of times on them and they will degrade.

From AI

Corn starch bags
generally do not properly degrade in landfills. Designed to break down in industrial composting facilities (high heat/oxygen), they often remain intact for years in the oxygen-starved, compacted environment of a landfill. If they do break down, they often produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

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[TheAleMan]

From AI

Corn starch bags
generally do not properly degrade in landfills. Designed to break down in industrial composting facilities (high heat/oxygen), they often remain intact for years in the oxygen-starved, compacted environment of a landfill. If they do break down, they often produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Same as nappies then. 8 million single use nappies a day go to incinerator or landfill in the uk according to Google and take around 500 -600 years to fully decompose. we use 2 bags a month and we are a waterless system and we don't use chemicals such as the lovely Elsan blue or it's so called 'green alternative

 

[TheAleMan]

I guess in a tiny number of Motorhomes that might work ....but if that "system" ever became more then very niche, it would become very unfine very soon....

Imagine then how many toilet cassettes with all their lovely chemicals on board get disposed of in the UK annually. It will be millions at a guess, alot of which contributes along with all the other crap that gets pumped into our river systems and ultimately the sea makes you think don't it.

 

[Ernesto]

Imagine then how many toilet cassettes with all their lovely chemicals on board get disposed of in the UK annually. It will be millions at a guess, alot of which contributes along with all the other crap that gets pumped into our river systems and ultimately the sea makes you think don't it.

No chemicals in mine other than a supermarket bio tab. Every cassette I've ever disposed of, goes into the sewerage system to be treated. Raw sewage is not routinely pumped into rivers and the sea

I know it's not perfect - we have flash storms and the sewers can get sometimes overwhelmed, and the disposable nappies situation is terrible.

I guess it depends - I agree your "strategy" wont destroy and pollute the natural world ! I'm not for a minute saying that. But if a majority of motorhomes threw no.1's in hedges and no. 2's into landfill, it's only making the problem worse. We should try if possible to leave the country a slightly better place than we found it

 

[TheAleMan]

No chemicals in mine other than a supermarket bio tab. Every cassette I've ever disposed of, goes into the sewerage system to be treated. Raw sewage is not routinely pumped into rivers and the sea

I know it's not perfect - we have flash storms and the sewers can get sometimes overwhelmed, and the disposable nappies situation is terrible.

I guess it depends - I agree your "strategy" wont destroy and pollute the natural world ! I'm not for a minute saying that. But if a majority of motorhomes threw no.1's in hedges and no. 2's into landfill, it's only making the problem worse. We should try if possible to leave the country a slightly better place than we found it

I either potentially add towards polluting our rivers and seas, or I contribute to the landfill problem a weeny bit. I know where I want my waste to go given the choice.

From Google… “Urinating around trees and bushes is generally not harmful in isolation, but it can cause significant environmental problems in high trafic areas” When wild camping our pee pot gets spread over a wide area and never concentrated. How many of us have taken a whiz in the wild when out walking or fishing, or indeed any outdoor persuit come to that and sometimes in high trafic areas on well trodden routes too, I know I have. And I’m sure shewees were invented to allow women to urinate like a man when on outdoor activities. Where does it all ened..wee can only do our best..thats it.

 

[Ernesto]

I either potentially add towards polluting our rivers and seas, or I contribute to the landfill problem a weeny bit. I know where I want my waste to go given the choice.

From Google… “Urinating around trees and bushes is generally not harmful in isolation, but it can cause significant environmental problems in high trafic areas” When wild camping our pee pot gets spread over a wide area and never concentrated. How many of us have taken a whiz in the wild when out walking or fishing, or indeed any outdoor persuit come to that and sometimes in high trafic areas on well trodden routes too.And I’m sure shewees were invented to allow women to urinate like a man when on outdoor activities. Where does it all ened..wee can only do our best..thats it.

"....In isolation..."

As I said, your actions are not the issue, in isolation. What you are doing, if repeated by others, very much would be. Using the sewer system properly is not adding to sea pollution, other than in isolation. It's the resposible thing to do.

 

[TheAleMan]

A quick bit of Googling…….Yes, the UK continues to pump raw, untreated sewage into rivers, lakes, and seas in 2025 and early 2026
. Despite increased public scrutiny and regulatory changes, data indicates that the practice remains widespread, with over 3.6 million hours of sewage spills recorded in England in 2024.
Here is a breakdown of the situation in 2025–2026 based on the latest reports:

Current Status (2025–2026)

• Persistent Discharges: Data for 2024 (reported in early 2025) showed a slight increase in the duration of spills, with over 450,000 sewage spills in England. Early data for 2026 suggests that in some areas, such as London and the South East, the volume of sewage spills is actually higher than in previous years.

If it become more popular and widespread to have separator toilets then of course it would add to the problem, the same as the early days of caravaning and later motorhomes when in their infancy, The more popular it got, the more it was contributing to waste problem. I go back to the nappy problem and doggy poo bags. This is what I call concentration, and what’s being done about it, not a lot as far as I’m aware.

Doggy bag stats…..Around 13 million dogs in the UK generate approximately 1,000 tonnes of waste daily, leading to billions of used plastic poop bags entering landfill or incineration annually Over 95% of these bags are disposed of in general waste, resulting in roughly 20 million bags being used daily. Do you have a dog or two ?