Suomi
Non-Diverting and Urine-Diverting Dry Toilets — Which Should You Choose?
Article updated 26.8.2026
Dry toilets come in three main types, and which one suits you best depends on how many people are using it, how actively, your climate, what maintenance routine you’re willing to keep up, and local regulations. Here’s what actually separates them.
What are non-diverting toilets?
Non-diverting toilets don’t separate liquid from solid waste at any point — everything goes into the same container together. Simple outhouses with a bucket, and night pots, are classic examples.
Advantages: Inexpensive, and often a realistic DIY build. A reasonable fit for short-term or occasional use, such as a night toilet.
Disadvantages: Needs real attention from the user to keep odor under control, and the collected material has to be properly composted afterward to meet regulations. Not a good fit for continuous use by several people.
A non-separating toilet, such as a chamber pot, can work well with the generous use of dry material, which absorbs excess liquid – especially when the toilet is used only occasionally. Even in this case, the waste must be properly treated afterwards, for example in a composter specifically designed for toilet waste.
SUMMARY
| + Affordable, often DIY solutions |
| + Very useful for light use, for example as a night toilet |
| – Requires careful use to prevent unpleasant odours |
| – Proper post-composting is required in all cases |
| – Not suitable for multiple users and/or continuous use |
Examples
What Are Urine-Diverting Toilets?
Urine-diverting toilets separate liquid directly at the seat, using a two-part bowl design that channels urine into its own collection point before it ever mixes with solids.
Pros: Produces plenty of clean urine that can be used directly as fertilizer. Odour problems are minimal because the solid waste does not become waterlogged and start to rot, and very little dry material is needed.
Cons: A large amount of urine is produced – up to 10 litres per day – so the container needs to be emptied regularly, and there should be a suitable way to make use of the urine, for example as garden fertilizer. Some users may find the two-part separating seat unfamiliar, and careful installation and use are important. For example, men need to sit down when using the toilet, and mineral deposits can build up and clog the urine hose.
SUMMARY
| + Plenty of nutrient-rich urine for use as an eco-friendly fertilizer – a favourite among home gardeners! |
| + Odour problems are rare when the toilet is installed and used according to the instructions |
| + Only a small amount of solid waste remains to be composted |
| + Little or no dry material is needed |
| – Urine needs to be stored, especially during winter and outside the growing season when it cannot be used in the garden |
| – The amount of urine can be challenging if all handling is done manually |
| – Using a urine-diverting seat requires some adjustment to make sure everything goes into the right place. Men must always sit down, and toilet paper should be placed on the solid-waste side |
| – The urine hose needs to be kept clean and unobstructed, as mineral deposits can build up quickly |
Examples of Urine Separating toilets
What Are Post-Diverting Toilets?
Post-diverting toilets, often also called as composting toilets, let urine and solids mix during use, then separate the liquid later, inside the composting chamber itself — typically through a perforated inner floor that lets excess moisture drain away while the solids stay on top. This is the design principle behind several of our own Green Toilet models.
Pros: Easy and familiar to use, as the toilet has a simple single-opening seat. Much less leachate is produced than in urine-diverting models – just a few decilitres per day compared with up to ten litres – and the composting process can already begin during use.
Cons: The use of dry material is essential, and the leachate must be handled properly because it may contain faecal bacteria. Suitable treatment methods include pouring it onto dry ground at the base of non-edible plants, storing it for 6–12 months before using it as garden fertilizer, or using a filter designed to bind nutrients. If too little dry material is used or there is a problem with the system, unpleasant odours may occu
SUMMARY
| + Easy to use, with little risk of incorrect use |
| + Significantly less leachate compared with separately collected urine |
| + Composting begins already during use, and the urea entering the compost mass helps accelerate the process |
| – Dry material must be used |
| – Leachate must be handled in a controlled and appropriate manner |
| – If poorly maintained or if there is a malfunction, unpleasant odours may occur |
Examples of Composting Toilets
So, to Divert or Not — and How?
There’s no single toilet type that beats the others in every situation. To our experience, there is also a cultural aspect to this: in some areas post diverting are dominant and in other urine-diversion is mainstream. On balance, we lean slightly toward post-diverting solutions for most households and always when there is publuc use— but the right call really does depend on your specific case.
User numbers and how actively the toilet gets used, climate and the season, and the ventilation and maintenance setup you have available all factor into which of the three makes sense for you.
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