# Wild Camping waste?



## Vita (May 16, 2005)

Query - When wild camping, where do you empty your toilet??
Vita


----------



## JustRadio (May 21, 2005)

You don't! Wait till you get home, find a disposal point and pay to use it, spend one night in five on a camp site, lots of alternatives without being a polluter.


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Loo waste*

Hi

If there were no chemicals in the loo, would it be wrong to dig a hole and pour in the cassette contents?

I mean, Oscar tiddles all over my lawn and it is as green as a bowling green?

I throw horse muck on the borders etc?

Rapide561


----------



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Nice to have a different question instead of the usual run of the mill stuff, it depends on how long and how adventurous you are in you travels...

First query would be how long before you need to empty?...

We find that our cassette normally lasts about 2 - maybe 3 days with no access to other 'facilities' before its time to empty, so if you move around a fair bit in most circumstances in this civilised society, theres normally sufficient time between empties with a suitable place to dump your waste on your travels at a campsite or cl/cs or aire/stellplatze on the continent.

If you don't use chemicals then I would say its normally acceptable to empty your waste down a public toilet if the former is not convenient as long as you are discreet and clean up after you.

I've done a bit of wildcamping in Greece which was miles away from any suitable facilities and when you don't want to move for a few days then it was a common procedure amongst motorhomers to go into the woods and bury your waste, obviously this would only be acceptable if its done responsibly and if you don't use chemicals. The only other option for extended stays is to move to a suitable emptying point or buy a spare cassette to prolong your self sufficiency.

pete


----------



## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Norway and Sweden have waste points often, but not always sited, at garages, mostly free, but some charge a few krona. You can fill up with fresh and dump grey as well and in 5 weeks we never had to pay.

Regards Frank

PS there is a roadsign for them an outline of a van with a rectangular tank shape underneath.


----------



## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

We decided we could get a spare tank for wild camping as we have a garage could store it in there, we have also asked the supplier to fit a S.O.G unit to the van before we pick it up, save on smells and chemicals. We thought that may give us more options on depositing in more places.
I dont mean just dumping it but in a loo or some such place. 

Any thoughts on the SOG or experiences of it would be great, most things I have read so far people love it.


----------



## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi Vita,

firstly, wild camping on the same spot over an extended period is forbidden in most European countries. One or two nights are frequently tolerated, but that's about it. So normally the capacity should suffice until you move on, maybe with the help of a spare cassette.

While on the move we have several solutions, depending on the area we are in:

In Germany, France, Italy and the Scandinavian countries you will find many freely accessible sanitary points, so here is no problem at all. Here you can also top up your fresh water. These sanitary points can be found e.g. at the entrance to camp sites, in Germany, France and Italy on the stellplatz/aire type sites, at petrol stations, motorhome dealers etc. Especially in Denmark and Saeden you find them frequently at road laybys.

In other countries, like UK or Ireland, there are no such sanitary points. Here we empty the toilet cassette into public toilets. As we have a SOG unit we do not use chemicals, so there is no concern about this.



peejay said:


> I've done a bit of wildcamping in Greece which was miles away from any suitable facilities and when you don't want to move for a few days then it was a common procedure amongst motorhomers to go into the woods and bury your waste, obviously this would only be acceptable if its done responsibly and if you don't use chemicals.


Because this was indeed common practice, the Greek police meanwhile enforces the (long-existing) wild camping ban, especially in the areas very popular among motorhomers, with sometimes very harsh measures. Fines of several hundred Euros have been reported. Of course, far out in the hinterland you will most probably not be bothered, especially if there is no camp site within many miles, but the times of the extended, wild "motorhome colonies" are over.



mandyandandy said:


> Any thoughts on the SOG or experiences of it would be great, most things I have read so far people love it.


Well, as said we have one, and it works like a treat. No chemicals any more, no smells anymore (neither inside nor outside), and no problems getting rid of the waste.

Only one remark: The user manual's advice to change the activated carbon filter once a year may suffice for people using their motorhome only three to four weeks in summer, but not more. If you use your van more often than that then you should change the filter more frequently, to avoid becoming a nuisance for your site neighbours.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


----------



## TinaGlenn (Jul 7, 2006)

Hi Vita,

When we are wild camping we either empty our loo in puplic toilets, obviously leaving no mess, or in the absence of these we have also gone into camp sites to ask about emptying and filling up and have never been refused, usually there is a small charge, have never emptied it out in a hole as dont have anything to dig one with on board.

Tina


----------



## 94969 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Vita, 

While on holiday in Germany, we emptied the toilet in Portable toilets (blue tardis) in the altobarn pull ins/rest areas. BUT BE WARNED. HOLD YOU NOSE/BREATH BEFORE ENTERING and DURING YOUR TIME IN THE TOILET.


Roy.


----------



## 96783 (Nov 23, 2005)

Most of the advice given on this thread is good advice. A SOG, spare cassette, use of any form of public facility at public loos, garages, aires, caravan sites etc is acceptable and, if you have to pay for the privilege so be it. After all you pay at home by virtue of water charges. However, please, please, please don't be anti-social and contaminate the ground by burying it.

In my service days in Germany we used to use bivouac areas when on exercise and latrines were dug for the ubiquitous thunderboxes (aptly named). In my (very) early days I was once on the advance party setting up the bivouac area when the "diggers" dug down to one point where a latrine had been filled in - not a pleasant experience nor to be repeated. Eventually, and not before time, these areas were declared contaminated not just with foul waste but also with food waste because the wild boar dug them up. Now the authorities demand that portaloos are used and contractors empty them and that's exactly as it should be. The additional bonus from the service user's point of view was that if you weren't sure of your map reading skills you merely followed the portaloo truck because he knew where he was going. The other trick was to follow the Red Shield canteen van as the driver had all the range details and knew every bivouac site that was in use!

The moral is simple. If you foul the ground you foul it for the next user.
Wild camping shouldn't mean irresponsible camping.


----------



## TinaGlenn (Jul 7, 2006)

We have a very cheesy motto that we adhere to when out an about in anyway wether picnics or camping and general day to day stuff and that is

" Take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints "

I would hate to think that we would leave anything that would spoil anyone elses enjoyment of an area, and that also means not having to worry that my kids or dogs would stumble over other peoples personal waste when exploring woodland or scrub areas.

Why give the "Anti Wild Camping " people ammunition?

Tina


----------



## mangothemadmonk (Aug 6, 2006)

We usually do two/three nights wildcattin' and then onto a CC site to dump and freshen up. I don't like to slum it all the time lol
Johnny F


----------



## Vita (May 16, 2005)

*Wild Camping Waste?*

Well, thank you all for those enlightening answers. I feel well-equipped to get out there now. I have never been wild camping - it was just one of those thoughts that dropped in at an idle moment, as they tend to do when there's plenty of space ...
Vita


----------



## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

Many villages in France have motorhome service points that are free (such as Ebreuil in the Allier) so look out for these.

I inspect many campsites for a campsite guide and most campsites are very unhappy with the idea of a MH coming in for one night, emptying large quantities of grey water/ toilets into the septic tanks loading up with 100 or so litres of expensive water and then paying just for one night.

Water and sewage is expensive in France and that is why they often have charges for the use of the MH service points on campsites.

Local authorities are often quite happy to absorb these charges on the hope that you will spend money in their region.


----------



## 101753 (Nov 11, 2006)

as a new motorhome owner of only 4 weeks - what is a sog unit ?


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Just out of curiousity...I've always assumed that the chemical toilet emptying point on a campsite on mains drainage is basically a toilet that is big enough to empty and service a portapotti. 

If I'm wrong what is it connected to ?

G


----------



## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi

Sog unit - Basically it is an add on attachement to your toilet system which extracts the smells.

see 
here

stew


----------



## 101754 (Nov 11, 2006)

I did not know either so I searched on the net and found that's its an attachment to the Thetford cassette which removes the need for chemicals, so saving money in the long run but will cost your £80+ to buy. Look at http://www.marcleleisure.co.uk/Sund001/SOG01.htm for details. However, there are plenty of other products achieving the same end of increasing the oxygen to banish the smells and break down the waste. There's an ongoing cost but unless you plan to use your van and your loo a great deal the new additives are probably cheaper and easier. Using chemicals is not 'green' and I always found the chemical smell intrusive.


----------



## baldlygo (Sep 19, 2006)

Grizzly said:


> Just out of curiousity...I've always assumed that the chemical toilet emptying point on a campsite on mains drainage is basically a toilet that is big enough to empty and service a portapotti.
> G


.....and a hose to shoosh it out.

Yes that's what I thought *Grizzly* but I have to think back too many years.

I've not forgotten the _holding your breath_ bit. I also remember a CL where I was escourted to a manhole cover which enabled tipping straight into the drains. Of course it was only serious Blue chemicals in those days but we did think they were wonderful at the time - much better than any alternatives :!:

Paul


----------



## shortcircuit (Mar 19, 2006)

thetwigster

A SOG unit I believe is of German origin.

It is simple an extraction fan that draws the ouders out of the cassetrte. An electicic extraction fan is fitted to the door to access your cassette. The fans input is via a plastic pipe to your cassette. When you open the shutter in the Thetford it starts the fan and is supposed to draw all the odours out. Apparently you do not need to put chemicals in the cassette or feed tank.

I have one fitted although we make limited use of the toilet and do not know how effective it is. I do detect an odour when in operation which has disappointed me, particularly as I have a poor sense of smell. 

Others on the Forum will extol of its virtues.


----------



## tokkalosh (May 25, 2006)

neverrememberit said:


> You don't! Wait till you get home,


That is an interesting response - where at home do you empty it?


----------



## olley (May 1, 2005)

Grizzly said:


> Just out of curiousity...I've always assumed that the chemical toilet emptying point on a campsite on mains drainage is basically a toilet that is big enough to empty and service a portapotti.
> 
> If I'm wrong what is it connected to ?
> 
> G


hi eddie at vanbitz mentioned this, because of the chemicals used its classed as hazardous waste, so he has to have a separate tank, I believe he said it cost £100 per 1000 litres to have it emptied.

I just lift the drain cover at home and stick the pipe down there, but we don't use any chemicals.

Olley


----------



## 101753 (Nov 11, 2006)

*emptying loo*

i would have considered the sog unit someone said they could still smell odours. as i have a acute sense of smell and we use our loo all the time when travelling this does not seem to be an option. we usually empty our loo into the toilet at home. is this wrong. the only site we used had what appeared to be a giant toilet that just flushed and a short length of hose. nowhere even to wash hands afterwards. is this the norm.


----------



## Boff (May 10, 2005)

*Re: emptying loo*



thetwigster said:


> i would have considered the sog unit someone said they could still smell odours. as i have a acute sense of smell and we use our loo all the time when travelling this does not seem to be an option.


I have the SOG for almost 3 years now. For this time I use no chemicals anymore. We all use our loo also all the time while travelling. My experience as somebody also having a quite acute sense of smell:

You cannot call it completely odourless, but inside it is at least much less smell than in your normal domestic toilet. The smell outside depends on the condition of the activated carbon filter. The vendor recommends replacing the filter once a year, which is not enough in my scenario. I do it twice a year, that is enough.



thetwigster said:


> we usually empty our loo into the toilet at home. is this wrong.


It depends: If your toilet drains into a septic tank AND you use toilet chemicals, then this might be wrong. If your toilet drains into a sewage system OR you don't use chemicals (e.g. because of SOG), then there is no problem.



thetwigster said:


> the only site we used had what appeared to be a giant toilet that just flushed and a short length of hose. nowhere even to wash hands afterwards. is this the norm.


Unfortunately yes, in many cases.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


----------

