Highlands See New Guide For Campervan Waste Disposal

[Blue Knight]

This is a very encouraging news article for campers/motorhomers visiting the Highlands - it's a work in progress though.

Worth a read:

Better waste facilities for campervanners under discussion in Highlands

'Everyone here from individuals to businesses has a part to play in this' says SEPA

www.strathspey-herald.co.uk

 

[rosalan]

Pity I would have to enrol to see this article

 

[RobbyMClark]

It opened up okay for me, no asking to enrol.

 

[Andacami]

Pity I would have to enrol to see this article

Works for me. You are scrolling past the green subscribe box to the article?

 

[denisejoe]

Works for me. You are scrolling past the green subscribe box to the article?

Have you an ad blocker lot of newspapers now subscription if you have ad blocker

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[Andacami]

Have you an ad blocker lot of newspapers now subscription if you have ad blocker

I don't, happy to disable if I feel the content is worth it when I do. But I'm not having any problems viewing the article anyway... Others might though, so a useful tip there

 

[frwjd]

It's a fantastic part of the world to visit but, sadly and inevitably, ruined far too often by selfish visitors

 

[Kannon Fodda]

So in summary they acknowledge more disposal points are needed. But the water board is wary of allowing those points to be connected in smaller community areas where the treatment systems will be limited capacity. Those systems are easily harmed if the blue type chemicals are being used.

One answer surely must be to ban the sale of such environmentally harmful chemicals that prevent the normal biological sewage treatment processes? Of course it may take years for all stocks to flush through the system. But surely all such chemicals are outdated in our environmentalist age.

 

[Grianan]

So in summary they acknowledge more disposal points are needed. But the water board is wary of allowing those points to be connected in smaller community areas where the treatment systems will be limited capacity. Those systems are easily harmed if the blue type chemicals are being used.

One answer surely must be to ban the sale of such environmentally harmful chemicals that prevent the normal biological sewage treatment processes? Of course it may take years for all stocks to flush through the system. But surely all such chemicals are outdated in our environmentalist age.

Good point. I don’t understand why anyone would buy them over the ‘green’ chemicals anyway?
local community councils are discussing this issue and planning new Elsans. I think by next year there should be a good few more ready and the more there are, the more communities realise they are a good thing.

 

[TinaLes]

Lets hope they produce a map of Elsan/ Water places for MH's/campervans, I know of a few but not enough to be able to rely on when touring.
Sadly its the few that will always spoil things for the sensible amongst us, Hire companies could start by issuing 2 cassettes for a family of 4, plus a better advice on do's & dont's at handover.
Cant tell you the amount of times I have been asked on what's proper by hirers whilst touring, even a laminated advice leaflet of do's & dont's inside the MH would be better.
LES

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[rosalan]

Are people still using the blue stuff? Serious question. If so why?

 

[Landy Andy]

Smells nice. I do miss the nice smell.

 

[KiwiKampers]

So in summary they acknowledge more disposal points are needed. But the water board is wary of allowing those points to be connected in smaller community areas where the treatment systems will be limited capacity. Those systems are easily harmed if the blue type chemicals are being used.

One answer surely must be to ban the sale of such environmentally harmful chemicals that prevent the normal biological sewage treatment processes? Of course it may take years for all stocks to flush through the system. But surely all such chemicals are outdated in our environmentalist age.

Thanks for summarising that “article”. I didn’t have the patience to read through the politicised waffle that had clearly been written by the different organisations and agencies and sent out as a press release, which the newspaper had duly reproduced without questioning its content or translating into plain English.
Scotland and elsewhere in the UK would benefit from looking to New Zealand for advice on how to provide “public dump stations”. We have a fantastic network of them, even in small towns that have to rely on septic tanks.
I don’t know how you get around the problem of people using blue chemicals rather than green. It will be difficult to ban it.

 

[dhall26]

So in summary they acknowledge more disposal points are needed. But the water board is wary of allowing those points to be connected in smaller community areas where the treatment systems will be limited capacity. Those systems are easily harmed if the blue type chemicals are being used.

One answer surely must be to ban the sale of such environmentally harmful chemicals that prevent the normal biological sewage treatment processes? Of course it may take years for all stocks to flush through the system. But surely all such chemicals are outdated in our environmentalist age.

This is why, for the last 20 years, we have always fitted a SOG to our vans and use no chemicals. We have friends who live in rural areas in UK Spain and Australia, who have their own sewerage systems and ANY of the chemicals sold can do harm to some systems.
David

 

[L' Hobo]

I too have a SOG fitted but still use a small amount of 'green' liquid as I normally travel alone and its not always possible to, SENSIBLY, dispose of it on a daily basis

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[The Lobster]

It's a fantastic part of the world to visit but, sadly and inevitably, ruined far too often by selfish visitors

Let me correct that...

It's a fantastic part of the world to visit but, sadly a small minority of selfish visitors try to ruin it. Thankfully the wide open spaces are so huge, they don't succeed.

 

[The Lobster]

Thanks for summarising that “article”. I didn’t have the patience to read through the politicised waffle

If you couldn't be bothered to read the article how did you know it was politicised waffle? Or do you just mean you stopped reading at the first point you got to that disagreed with your world view?

 

[dhall26]

I too have a SOG fitted but still use a small amount of 'green' liquid as I normally travel alone and its not always possible to, SENSIBLY, dispose of it on a daily basis

Not sure why you would have a SOG and use chemicals? It seems a bit of a contradiction to me.
I don't feel the need to empty daily and always do so sensibly.

 

[Two of usI]

Not sure why you would have a SOG and use chemicals? It seems a bit of a contradiction to me.
I don't feel the need to empty daily and always do so sensibly.

Whats a SOG ???

 

[L' Hobo]

Not sure why you would have a SOG and use chemicals? It seems a bit of a contradiction to me.
I don't feel the need to empty daily and always do so sensibly.

The product I use is called 40shots, or something like that, and I was assured that it contained no chemicals but helped with breakdown of organic substances. I use it, mostly on hot summer days or when in sunnier climes because, after a day or two, on breezeless days, there are aromas emanating from the outside vent, over close neighbours, that I would prefer not to be there.

A SOG is a toilet that is fitted with an extraction fan, to outside the van, through a carbon filter.

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[dhall26]

Whats a SOG ???

A SOG is basically a fan system that sucks air out of your cassette during the time that the blade in your toilet is open.
This means that instead of a smell coming out of it, it sucks air in.
It can be a bit more smelly when you empty the cassette, but it means that it con be emptied into any type of sewage system without any worries about causing problems to the system, some of which are very sensitive to chemicals of any type.
Or friends in Canberra, for instance, have a system that processes the sewage and the liquid from it is used to irrigate the land. BUT the council come round regularly and test the outflow for contamination. When we stay with them we are even asked to use the soap and shampoo that they supply as some can cause problems to the system.
David

 

[Two of usI]

A SOG is basically a fan system that sucks air out of your cassette during the time that the blade in your toilet is open.
This means that instead of a smell coming out of it, it sucks air in.
It can be a bit more smelly when you empty the cassette, but it means that it con be emptied into any type of sewage system without any worries about causing problems to the system, some of which are very sensitive to chemicals of any type.
Or friends in Canberra, for instance, have a system that processes the sewage and the liquid from it is used to irrigate the land. BUT the council come round regularly and test the outflow for contamination. When we stay with them we are even asked to use the soap and shampoo that they supply as some can cause problems to the system.
David

Thank you...... interesting and will research

 

[dhall26]

The manufacturers of 40 shots make much of 'no formaldehyde and Septic tank safe' They fail to mention that in 60% of the country new Septic Tanks are not allowed and existing ones must be decommissioned and replaced 3 or 4 stage filtration plants

 

[ManTheVan]

This is almost a toilet thread!

We haven’t got a SOG. I did consider fitting one, but...

Elsan green organic has been amazing for us. Absolutely no noxious smells at all, breaks solids down v efficiently and can be disposed of in septic tanks safely. We also carry the ubiquitous Aldi bio capsules.

We used to use the blue stuff years ago, but the organic/enzyme-based alternatives are now so good, I hope more users feel able to make the change. It’s really important to wash out the cassette extremely thoroughly before changing from blue to green, or there will be a smell due to the enzymes being killed off by the blue residue.

To each their own, but we can only report excellent results.

I think this probably is a toilet thread now....sorry!

 

[dhall26]

This is almost a toilet thread!

We haven’t got a SOG. I did consider fitting one, but...

Elsan green organic has been amazing for us. Absolutely no noxious smells at all, breaks solids down v efficiently and can be disposed of in septic tanks safely. We also carry the ubiquitous Aldi bio capsules.

We used to use the blue stuff years ago, but the organic/enzyme-based alternatives are now so good, I hope more users feel able to make the change. It’s really important to wash out the cassette extremely thoroughly before changing from blue to green, or there will be a smell due to the enzymes being killed off by the blue residue.

To each their own, but we can only report excellent results.

I think this probably is a toilet thread now....sorry!

That's fine. as you say each to their own. Just don't empty into someone's Filtration sewage system.

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