Yes, “Air Head” Composting Toilet is classified as a MSD type III in the USA.

An Air Head doesn’t smell because of the aerobic composting process, which is possible with proper moisture balance and airing. Aerobic composting is the breakdown of organic material using microorganisms that require oxygen. The microbes responsible for composting naturally live in the organic material’s moisture. Oxygen from the air diffuses into moisture and is absorbed by microbes, and unlike an anaerobic process, the result is odorless. In the anaerobic process in a traditional composting toilet, the loosened and wet material is compacted and smells terrible.

Once solid matter enters the main tank, the foul-smelling anaerobic bacteria dies in the presence of air, making way for non-odorous aerobic bacteria. This process works best when urine is absent (as inside the “Air Head”) due to a carbon/nitrogen ratio that maximizes aerobic bacterial action.

In an Airhead, we supply oxygen by a ventilation fan, creating a continuous flow of air, which sucks in excess moisture at the same time as oxygen is supplied. This process is reinforced with the help of a stirring handle, the agitator, which means that the contents are not packed together but kept reasonably dry and airy. With agitation, the feces are broken down into smaller parts, which gives a larger surface for the microbes to work on, for an effective absence of odors and activated decomposition of the organic material.

So an Air Head has much capacity for its small size and is known for not smelling bad.

Yes, two people will be able to use the solid tank up to a month prior to emptying.

Yes, two people can use the solid tank every weekend up to all of the summer before emptying.

The liquid bottle is usually emptied within 1-3 days, and the solids tank can be used up to 70 times or more, depending on how intensively it is used and given time for a composting process. Two people who use it daily empty it about once a month. The solids are more straightforward to empty than new customers fear. The material can later be composted or dumped according to local laws, generally in a mixed garbage container.

It depends on usage.

At Sea: When offshore in international waters, the solids may be taken to the boat’s edge and dumped overboard. Dumping naturally produced matter in inland lakes and coastal areas is illegal and environmentally unsound due to the potential for high concentrations of waste in these areas. High concentrations of waste result in high algae growth and the death of oxygen-breathing aquatic species. This is especially important in the Baltic, where one should not dump the liquids either. Hygiene is an issue, as well. This is not the case when out in the open ocean. The “Air Head” Composting Toilet allows cruisers to fill up on anchor and dump on passages, eliminating the need to dirty the beautiful, clear waters they worked so hard to sail to. The solid tank should hold about a month of everyday use for a couple.

On Land: Following the instructions provided with the unit on this topic, the solid tank contents may be buried in ornamentals or sprinkled on top, depending on conditions. A once-a-season emptying scenario is possible where a family of two consistently uses the “Air Head” Composting Toilet for five months, twice each weekend, totaling 80 uses or less. This amount of usage allows tank contents sufficient time to dry or break down. After a season’s worth of use, the contents of the solid tank will be dry as a desert or slightly moist. In relative terms, of course, the state of these contents will be surprisingly pleasant, having only a slight musty smell. This assumes the tank is emptied the following spring or a few weeks after the last use. So the best scenario is to empty the following spring during commissioning. 

We do not recommend turning off the fan because aerobic composting will partially slow down. As well as smelling like damp earth in the bathroom. The fan consumes 0.06Ah. A small 10w solar panel and battery regulator can be easily installed if no panel is installed. 

If it is still chosen off, washing the unit properly and turning off the fan is better.