6 Best Composting Solutions for RV Waste That Lower Your Footprint
Explore the top 6 composting solutions for RVs. Learn how these systems reduce your environmental footprint, eliminate black tank odors, and save water.
The single biggest constraint in RV travel isn’t finding a beautiful campsite; it’s finding the next dump station. The constant search for a place to empty your black tank dictates your route, limits your boondocking time, and often involves unpleasant odors and messy hoses. Switching to a composting toilet fundamentally changes that equation, giving you the freedom to stay off-grid longer and shrink your environmental impact.
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Why Choose a Composting Toilet for Your RV?
The standard RV black tank is a flawed system. It mixes solids and liquids into a chemical-laden slurry that becomes anaerobic, producing foul-smelling gases and requiring specialized disposal facilities. This system tethers you to civilization, forcing you to plan your adventures around the availability of dump stations.
A composting toilet solves this by separating waste at the source. Urine is diverted into a separate, easy-to-empty bottle, while solids are mixed with a carbon-based medium like coconut coir. This simple separation prevents the chemical reaction that creates sewage and odor. Instead of a foul-smelling tank, you have an odorless, manageable system that turns waste into a safe, soil-like compost over time.
Grow healthier plants with these OMRI-listed coco coir bricks. This pre-rinsed and screened coconut fiber retains moisture, improves soil aeration, and provides a sustainable growing medium.
Let’s be clear: a modern composting toilet is not an outhouse bucket. These are highly engineered devices designed for odor-free operation inside a small, enclosed space. A small 12-volt fan constantly pulls air out of the solids bin and vents it outside, creating negative pressure so no smells can escape into your living area. For many RVers, a well-managed composting toilet is significantly less smelly than a traditional black tank system.
The benefits are transformative. You can stay off-grid for weeks instead of days, you no longer need to buy or handle harsh toilet chemicals, and you’re treating your waste in a much more sustainable way. It’s one of the single most impactful upgrades you can make for true boondocking freedom.
Nature’s Head: The Tried-and-True Classic
When people think of composting toilets for mobile applications, Nature’s Head is often the first name that comes to mind. It has earned its reputation as a durable, reliable workhorse over many years in the marine and RV communities. Its design is straightforward and built to withstand the bumps and vibrations of the road.
The core of the Nature’s Head is its robust construction and simple mechanics. It features a large solids bin, which means less frequent emptying for one or two people, and a side-mounted crank handle for agitating the compost. The urine bottle is translucent, so you can easily see when it needs to be emptied. This is a no-fuss, get-the-job-done toilet.
The main tradeoff with the Nature’s Head is its size. It has a larger footprint than some of its competitors, which can be a challenge in a tight RV bathroom or a small van conversion. However, if you have the space, its simplicity and proven track record make it a top choice for full-timers who prioritize reliability over compact design.
Air Head Toilet: Compact and Versatile Design
The Air Head is the Nature’s Head’s primary competitor, and it shines in situations where space is at a premium. Its rounder, more compact design and smaller footprint allow it to fit into tighter spaces where a Nature’s Head might not. This makes it a favorite among van builders and those with small wet baths.
What sets the Air Head apart is its versatility. It can be configured with different sized solids tanks and offers options for plumbing the urine bottle to a larger, remote tank. This modularity allows you to tailor the installation to your specific rig and needs. The agitation handle is smaller and more discreet, contributing to its compact feel.
The user experience is excellent, but the smaller capacity means slightly more frequent emptying of the solids bin compared to the Nature’s Head. For solo travelers or couples in smaller rigs, this is a minor tradeoff for the significant space savings. If you’re measuring every inch of your bathroom layout, the Air Head’s adaptable design is often the deciding factor.
OGO Toilet: Modern Electric Agitation System
The OGO represents the next generation of composting toilets, swapping manual effort for modern convenience. Its standout feature is an electric agitator that mixes the solids bin with the press of a button. This "set it and forget it" approach appeals to those who want the benefits of composting without the manual churning.
Its design is also a major departure from the competition. The OGO is a sleek, compact cube that looks more like a modern appliance than a traditional toilet. This aesthetic fits perfectly into contemporary RV and van interiors. The urine bottle is cleverly hidden behind a sliding door, maintaining a clean look.
Of course, this convenience comes with a consideration: power. The electric agitator and urine level sensor require a constant 12V connection. While the power draw is minimal, it’s another item to factor into your RV’s electrical budget. The OGO is the perfect choice for the tech-savvy RVer who values automation and modern design and has a robust electrical system to support it.
C-Head System: A Simple and Affordable Option
Not every solution needs to be complex or expensive. The C-Head embraces radical simplicity, offering a functional and affordable composting system that gets back to basics. It’s essentially a very well-designed bucket system with an effective urine diverter, making it one of the most budget-friendly options on the market.
The C-Head forgoes cranks and gears for a simple "churn stick" that you use to manually mix the composting medium. The entire unit is lightweight, easy to install, and incredibly easy to clean and maintain. There are no complex parts to break, making it a reliable choice for those who value rugged simplicity.
This is not the most glamorous toilet on the list. It has a more utilitarian look, and it requires a bit more hands-on interaction than the automated OGO or crank-style models. But for the DIY builder on a tight budget or the RVer who prioritizes function over form, the C-Head is an unbeatable value proposition. Its simplicity is its greatest strength.
Separett Villa: Efficient Urine-Diverting Pick
This Swedish-made Separett Villa 9215 is a waterless composting toilet that efficiently diverts urine for high-capacity use. It operates on both AC and DC power and includes essential installation parts.
The Separett Villa operates on a slightly different principle than the other models here. While it separates liquids and solids, it’s primarily a drying toilet, not a composting one in the traditional sense. It’s a popular choice in tiny homes and cabins that has found a solid niche in the RV world.
Instead of agitating solids in a large bin, the Villa uses a powerful fan to desiccate them in a biodegradable liner bag. When the bag is full, you simply remove it and can place it in a dedicated composter to finish the process. A key feature is that it doesn’t use an internal urine bottle; it’s designed to have the urine plumbed directly into your grey tank or a separate external container.
This system is ideal for RVers who don’t want to deal with a urine bottle and prefer a more "normal" looking toilet. However, it requires a more involved installation to handle the urine plumbing. The Separett Villa is an excellent low-maintenance choice for larger rigs where plumbing is straightforward and you prefer to manage the final composting process outside the toilet itself.
Trelino Evo S: The Ultimate Portable Solution
Enjoy home-like comfort anywhere with the Trelino Evo S portable composting toilet. Its innovative separation and drying system eliminates odors, offering hygienic, chemical-free waste management with large, easy-to-empty containers. Built for durability and stability, this German-made toilet is ideal for camping and outdoor adventures.
Sometimes, a permanent installation is overkill. The Trelino Evo S is a masterclass in minimalist, portable design. It’s not a full-featured composting toilet but a simple, high-quality urine-diverting toilet (UDT) perfect for weekend trips, small vans, or as an emergency backup.
The Trelino is incredibly compact and lightweight. It consists of a sturdy outer shell, a lift-off seat with a built-in urine diverter, a small urine bottle, and a solids bucket. There is no agitator; you simply cover solids with a scoop of composting medium after each use. The whole system is hermetically sealed when closed, ensuring it remains odor-free during transport.
This is not the solution for a full-time family of four. The capacity is small and requires frequent emptying. But for a solo traveler in a minivan, a couple on a weekend getaway, or anyone who needs a simple, no-installation-required solution, the Trelino offers unmatched convenience and portability. It’s the perfect bridge between a bucket and a fully-featured composting toilet.
Choosing the Right RV Composting Medium
The toilet itself is only half of the system. The composting medium you choose is critical for ensuring an odor-free, efficiently operating toilet. The medium’s job is to provide the carbon necessary to balance the nitrogen in the solid waste, absorb moisture, and create the ideal environment for aerobic decomposition.
You have a few excellent options for your medium, each with its own pros and cons:
- Coconut Coir: This is the gold standard for most RVers. It’s made from ground coconut husks, is highly absorbent, and resists compaction. It comes in lightweight, compressed bricks that are easy to store in an RV.
- Sphagnum Peat Moss: This was the traditional choice for years and works very well. However, there are growing environmental concerns about the sustainability of harvesting peat bogs, leading many to switch to coco coir.
- Sawdust or Fine Wood Shavings: If you have access to a free source from untreated wood, this can be a great budget-friendly option. Ensure it’s fine enough to provide good coverage. Avoid cedar shavings, as their natural oils can inhibit the composting process.
The most important step is hydrating the medium correctly before adding it to your toilet. If you’re using a compressed brick of coco coir, add water slowly until it expands into a light, fluffy soil. You want it to be damp to the touch, like a wrung-out sponge—not soaking wet and not bone dry. Getting this moisture balance right is the single biggest key to a successful, odor-free composting toilet experience.
Ultimately, switching to a composting toilet is about reclaiming your freedom on the road while reducing your impact on the environment. By understanding the tradeoffs between capacity, size, and features, you can choose a system that perfectly matches your travel style. The right choice will free you from the hunt for dump stations and open up a new world of off-grid possibilities.
