Living with a composting toilet successfully on the road

Wouldn't you love to have a yarn like this?

Sarah, the Road-Tripper

"You ever just want to hit the road and not look back? That’s me and my partner—we’ve been exploring in our RV for a year now, chasing sunsets and new trails. It’s the best life, but let me tell you, dealing with black water tanks was a nightmare. Then we got a composting toilet, and it’s like the RV gods smiled on us! It’s small, fits perfectly in our tiny bathroom, and doesn’t need water or plumbing. We just add some media, give it a spin, and it’s clean as a whistle—no odours, nothing. When we’re back home, we empty the compost into a compost bin. It’s so low-maintenance, we barely think about it. This toilet’s made our adventurous life even freer, and we’re doing our bit for the planet, too!"

Why Compost on the Road?

No need for messy wastewater tanks or complicated dumping stations. Composting toilets in RVs allow you to travel more freely by saving water, eliminating odours, and offering easy maintenance—no matter where you are parked. Whether you're off-grid in the wilderness or at a campsite, composting toilets are a reliable, eco-friendly option for road travellers.

What you need to know!

Composting toilets work differently from traditional blackwater tanks, but they still provide all the comfort of a conventional toilet. These systems require some basic maintenance depending on the model, but it’s as straightforward as cleaning a regular toilet. It's safe and hygienic, and you’ll soon discover it’s a modern, sustainable solution you won’t want to be without.

A few things to consider before installing your composting toilet in an RV:

• Ventilation: All composting toilets are vented to ensure odourless use. The vent outlet should be positioned on your RV much like a vent for a blackwater tank—same principle, just a better outcome.
• Capacity: There may be capacity limitations, so long-term storage of the composted material might require extra storage solutions (e.g. vented locker).
• Design Integration: Your choice of composting toilet will depend on how you use your RV. Be sure to discuss options with us for the best fit: 0800 022 027.
• Where to Get Your Compost Media (System Bulking Agent & Treatments): We take pride in ensuring our customers have the right type of bulking agent to keep their compost systems running smoothly. However, when you're on the road, delivery might not always be an option. That’s why we make it easy to understand what type of media works best for your system, so you can source it from wherever your travels take you. You’ll also find that most composting media is compact enough to store in your RV without taking up too much space.

What to do with your composted materials (the end product)

Depending on where you are travelling, there are several ways to manage and dispose of your composted material.

When you're back at home:

✓ You can remove the compost and dispose of it in a dedicated composting bin, or bury it following local humanure composting regulations.

✓ It is also legal to dispose of compost in the trash, although we recommend this as a last resort for urgent situations only.

If you are off-grid:

✓ Make sure to have additional composting chambers on board to store material until you are back in a proper disposal area.

✓ Compost can be safely buried away from water sources and flood-prone areas to prevent contamination.

If you are on extended road trips:

✓ Just like with traditional RV wastewater systems, plan for appropriate disposal locations during your trip. Alternatively, store compost until you can bury or compost it later, as long as your system allows for safe, long-term storage.

Sustainable results!

That’s right! By composting your waste, you are closing the environmental loop—returning valuable nutrients to the earth while minimizing water usage. It's a small change with a big impact on sustainable travel, helping to preserve the environment as you explore.

See the range today | RV Composting Toilets

© 2025 WCTNZ® | Waterless Composting Toilets NZ Limited. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, display, or transmission of any content, design, trademarks, or other materials on this site is strictly prohibited without prior written consent. All intellectual property rights are the exclusive property of WCTNZ® | Waterless Composting Toilets NZ Limited. Continued use of this site indicates your acceptance of our terms and policies, which you affirm to have read and understood. We reserve the right to modify or remove any content at any time without notice. This site and its contents are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind.