Is it safe to just pee and p**p in a hole in the ground? Let it compost for a few years,and add it to my soil?

Question

Is it safe to just pee and p**p in a hole in the ground? Let it compost for a few years,and add it to my soil?

Answer 1

umm...

why?

Answer 2

Yes

Answer 3

Your description is basically the septic tank. Septic tanks do not as a rule reach a temperature that is going to sterilize the product, and when large numbers of septic tanks are in one area, groundwater becomes contaminated with plant nutrients and also pathogens.

When the excrement is piled up away from passing storm water, and not diluted by household grey water, not flush toilet water, it will heat enough to sterilize it of pathogens, with the exception of its outer surface. In a contained cylinder the outer surface can also be sterilized. But addition of tree leaves or straw as the pile is created, improves the process, provides extra heat and makes the process aerobic. Being aerobic means the end product will hold plant nutrients in the soil rather than having them migrate into aquifers.

Being above grade is important mainly because below-grade installations are much more readily flooded. But up on a hill a below grade pit may be ok.

We have long used a rule that one never disposes of f***s upstream of a water source. But if the facility is not going to sterilize the soil, the result is always upstream for someone.

We can dispose of only so much manure, human or otherwise, within a given area before we get too much plant nutrient, and that is a poison for us.

Answer 4

As Princess stated above, it can be done. However, you should be careful to ensure the compost reaches proper temperature to kill off any undesirable pathogens. This is one of the reasons houses in rural areas have septic tanks instead of just flushing into a pit.

Human waste is used for fertilizer in many countries. However, improperly or poorly treated/composted human manure can contain pathogens that will directly enter the human body or contaminate groundwater. This is why in certain countries they say "you'll be fine as long as you don't drink the water."

You will also want to be aware of salt contents within the compost. It would be easier and safer to befriend a dairy farmer or someone with a horse for p**p to compost.

Answer 5

It is a safe and legal method of waste control but make sure you dig your hole a safe distance from your drinking water source to keep from contaminating it. Due to the fact that people are meat eaters we have bacteria in our systems that are not good if they enter our drinking water. 75 to a 100 feet should be safe and you will want to add a booster to the hole to as the old term goes sweeten it. Your local hardware store will help you with this.

Answer 6

It is safe and green.

You however need to be above the flood line of the water resource and at least 50 - 100 m away from any bore well for domestic use.

It may be better to have 2 holes, one can be used while the other is harvested.

Answer 7

yeh. you can do it everywhere too.! and rich soil will be plentiful.

Answer 8

Sure.  Its organic and mostly water.

After a few years there will be hardly any thing left, depending on the original volume,  after the microbes and bugs have done their thing.

Answer 9

sure! if my dad does it, you can too!

if my pet does it, so can you!

Answer 10

Yep, there's a whole book about it

Humanure by Joseph Jenkins

Answer 11

you will be multiplying any illnesses you may have if that's ok then let her rip.

Answer 12

Your whole yard is more than likely made up of lots of old pee and p**p. It is healthy for the grass

Answer 13

if cows can do it, why not people? (I am unsure....)

Answer 14

orientals have been doing it for years..they carry out a bucket every morning for their crops..they call it "nite" fertilizer..If you carrots taste "pithy"..now you know.  Nowdays this kind of farming is called "organic"..using natural waste for fertilizer.

Answer 15

I actually came across this subject awhile back when researching for information about composting in general. Apparently it can be done, as long as proper precautions and safeguards are taken. The wikipedia article has good general info and you can find more resources from there if interested.

Answer 16

I think that is what they did in the old days. Unfortunately when it rained enough germs floated up that people were dying of typhoid fever.

Answer 17

If you have good aim, you can take a dump right smack in a flower pot if you want.  People in Southeast Asian countries have pooped in their rice paddies for years and many countries irrigate with human sewage water (like Egypt).  There's nothing wrong with that excepting root crops such as carrots, potatoes and so on.  Too much chance of contaminated dirt remaining on the produce.

Answer 18

safe? yes. fertilized soil? yes. disgusting? YES!