It may be strange to see a webpage about Toilet fluid on an Electronics Specialists webpage, but my awareness of what a huge problem our toilet use can create has been brought to my personal attention recently.
We have applied for planning permission to self build a dwelling in a rural location where there is no mains drainage. As part of the process we have had to go into great detail on exactly what our 'sewage' options are, as from 2017 no new builds are allowed to use a Septic tank. New builds must install a much cleaner sewerage processing solution where the water quality going into the ground is 'almost pure' and Pathogen free.
Unlike a Septic tank, which only partially processes the stuff, expelling almost raw effluent some of the time, a fully packaged system has to produce expelled liquid to much more rigid standards of 'cleanliness'.
98.6% pure water is claimed for the Vortex range of Packaged Sewerage systems.
As a result of the above I have spent a lot of time designing a solution that is clean, enviro friendly, authority approved, and above all safe for my two youngsters to be around. I don't want effluent puddling on our plot!!
In order to be able to design a good solution I had to investigate the issues, the items available on the market. Even examine the ultra 'Green' solutions like Willow and Reed beds, their advantages and issues.
ALL of the solutions become overloaded, or even completely ineffective, if chemicals are used in any quantities.
The plot of land for our proposed dwelling is near a Caravan Touring park and conversations with them about the solutions they have adopted and this revealed some potentially serious issues for the environment.
Apparently many sites put Grey washing up waste water straight into the environment via a soakaway or water course, as they are legally allowed to do.
We heard of a Motorhome owner recently that empted their 130 litre 'Black' toilet waste down a Caravan site Grey waste manhole designed for Kitchen, shower, etc Grey water. Obviously this may then run into a water course without being processed.
These Motorhome 'Black' tanks are becoming more common for storing Toilet waste, with some as big as 130litres. They are emptied in the same way the Motorhome Grey tank is emptied, but obviously must only go into a specific Black Waste manhole.
Even if the camp sites have a Septic Tank, which isn't going to deliver clean water into the water ways at the best of times, then a Motorhome/Caravan Toilet containing the usual 'high chemical' Blue Fluid with Formaldehyde in their Thetford is a potential disaster as it will stop the Septic Tank from functioning at all. Likewise these 'Blue' fluids will also stop a Packaged sewerage unit working properly, potentially leading to Water course contamination.
As many Caravan Touring sites are in isolated places, most likely without mains sewerage, the problem nationally becomes enormous and maybe helps explain why Water course pollution incidents in rural areas are on the increase.
When Blue Toilet fluid is universally acknowledged to be highly Carcinogenic and really toxic, I want to find alternatives to it being poured in the Sea or on land.
What can we do?
Elsan have an Organic toilet fluid that helps the environment in two ways and saves you hassle as the same fluid can be used in both the Flush rinse tank and the toilet bottom tank. It is claimed to actually break down and 'disolve the solids' while in the toilet, making it easier to empty and clean. It doesn't have that 'pungent chemical' smell that my old Blue fluid used to have.
It is claimed to stop the build up of 'Black Mould' in the Flush tank as well.
The Elsan organic fluid seems to be cheaper, £9 for 2 litres, and doesn't contain Formaldehyde, which has known lasting effects on the environment,
Nor does it kill the essential friendly bacteria in sewarage processing systems so is safe for Septic Tanks, fully packaged sewerage systems and the Water authorities sewerage processing plants, see here for a supplier of Elsan Organic : https://www.motorhomeshop.co.uk/organic-2ltr
Even if the Caravan Site has mains sewerage, this waste has to be processed somehow so you can be sure that if the chemicals we put in make it more difficult/expensive to process, that cost will be passed on to us.
Or maybe more raw sewerage will end up in the environment?
Switching to non-formaldehyde Elsan Organic fluid won't cost the Earth.
Details here on new 2017 rules :