How to Build an Eco-Toilet from Waste Products: A Complete DIY Guide for Sustainable Living

If you live off-grid, in a tiny house, or just want to reduce your environmental footprint, a homemade composting toilet is a game-changer. 

Instead of flushing precious water, you’ll repurpose waste materials (like old buckets, barrels, and pallets) into a fully functional, odor-free toilet.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• The best types of eco-toilets you can build from scrap
• Step-by-step instructions for 3 different designs
• How to manage waste safely 

Types of Eco-Toilets You Can Build from Waste

Not all eco-toilets are the same. Depending on your needs, you can build:

1. Composting Toilets – Best for Homesteads and Gardens

• How it works: Waste mixes with sawdust, leaves, or wood chips and decomposes into fertilizer.

• Best for: Off-grid homes, cabins, gardens.

• Waste materials you can use:
  • 5-gallon buckets
  • Wooden crates for structure
  • Sawdust from carpentry scraps

2. Urine-Diverting Dry Toilets (UDDTs) – Best for Odor Control

• How it works: Separates liquid and solid waste, reducing smell.

• Best for: Tiny houses, RVs, urban balconies.

• Waste materials you can use:
  • Plastic barrels (cut for separation)
  • PVC pipes for drainage
  • Old funnels for urine diversion

3. Bucket Toilets – Simplest and Most Portable

• How it works: A basic bucket with a seat and cover material (like sawdust).

• Best for: Emergency use, camping, temporary setups.

• Waste materials you can use:
  • Food-grade buckets
  • Old toilet seats
  • Scrap wood for a frame

4. Vermicomposting Toilets

For vermicomposting toilets, worms do all the work of breaking down waste.

• How it works: Worms break down waste quickly.

• Best for: Warm climates, eco-villages.

• Waste materials you can use:
  • Wooden boxes (from pallets)
  • Shredded cardboard for bedding

– Which one is right for you?  If you’re just starting, a bucket toilet is the easiest.  For long-term use, a composting or urine-diverting toilet works best.

 

Materials You Can Repurpose for an Eco-Toilet

Instead of buying new, use what you already have! 

Here’s what works:

✔ Plastic Barrels or Buckets –

• • Use: Containment for waste.

• Where to find them:

• • Local restaurants (food-grade buckets)
  • Recycling centers (plastic drums)

✔ Wooden Pallets or Crates –

• • Use: Building the toilet structure.

• Where to find them:

• • Construction sites (often free)
  • Hardware stores (discarded pallets)

✔ Old Car Tires –

• • Use: Base for outdoor toilets (prevents moisture).

• Where to find them:

• • Tire shops (discarded tires)

✔ PVC Pipes or Scrap Metal –

• • Use: Ventilation system.

• Where to find them:

• • Plumbing leftovers
  • Junkyards

✔ Sawdust or Wood Chips –

• • Use: Cover material to reduce odor.

• Where to find them:

• • Sawmills (often free)
  • Carpentry workshops

Pro Tip: Always clean and sanitize waste materials before use!

Step-by-Step Guide to Building a DIY Eco-Toilet

Option 1: Simple Bucket Composting Toilet (Easiest for Beginners)

– Materials Needed:

• 1x 5-gallon bucket (food-safe)
• 1x toilet seat (or plywood with hole)
• Sawdust or coconut coir (for covering waste)

– Steps:

1. Clean the bucket thoroughly.
2. Attach the toilet seat (or make a wooden lid).
3. Place a layer of sawdust at the bottom.
4. After each use, add more sawdust to prevent odor.
5. When full, empty into a compost pile (away from edible plants).

– Maintenance:

• Empty every 1-2 weeks (depending on usage).
• Keep a separate container for fresh sawdust.

Option 2: Upcycled Barrel Composting Toilet (Best for Long-Term Use)

– Materials Needed:

• 1x large plastic barrel (30-50 gallons)
• PVC pipe (for ventilation)
• Urine diverter (optional, made from a funnel & hose)

– Steps:

1. Cut an opening in the barrel for the toilet seat.
2. Install a ventilation pipe (to reduce smell).
3. Add a urine diverter (if separating liquids).
4. Fill with sawdust after each use.
5. Compost the waste in a separate bin.

– Maintenance:

• Stir contents occasionally to speed up composting.
• Empty every 3-6 months.

Option 3: Pallet-Based Outdoor Toilet (Best for Gardens)

– Materials Needed:

• 4 wooden pallets (for walls)
• 1 bucket or barrel (for waste)
• Scrap wood (for roof & door)

– Steps:

1. Assemble the pallets into a small shed.
2. Place the bucket inside.
3. Add a vent pipe for airflow.
4. Cover with sawdust after each use.

– Maintenance:

• Keep dry to prevent flies.
• Move the compost pile away from the toilet when full.

Managing Waste Safely and Sustainably

✔ How Composting Works –

Here’s how composting works:

• Carbon-rich materials (sawdust, leaves) balance nitrogen in waste.
• Microbes break it down into safe compost over 6-12 months.

✔ Safety Tips –

• Never use compost on food plants (only trees/flowers).
• Wear gloves when handling waste.
• Keep away from water sources (to prevent contamination).

✔ Controlling Odor –

• Use enough sawdust (cover waste completely).
• Ventilate properly (PVC pipe to the outside).

Benefits of an Eco-Toilet Made from Waste

• Saves water (zero flushing needed).
• Reduces landfill waste (repurposes old materials).
• Creates free compost (for gardens).
• Works off-grid (no plumbing required).

Challenges and Solutions to Eco-Toilets

❌ Odor Problems?

• Solution: More sawdust + proper ventilation.

❌ Flies or Pests?

• Solution: Keep lid closed + use lime powder.

❌ Cold Climates?

• Solution: Insulate the compost pile with straw.

Final Thoughts

Flushing drinking water down the toilet is wild when you think about it. Meanwhile, landfills are packed with usable materials, and your garden could use more compost.

Building an eco-toilet from waste products ensures that you’re not just saving money but that you’re closing the loop in the most practical way possible. 

No fancy tools, no expensive parts, just clever reuse of what’s already around you.

If you’re still hesitant, think of it like this, if humans thrived for millennia without flush toilets, you can handle a sawdust bucket for a trial run. 

The worst that happens? You learn something. The best? You never pay for wasteful plumbing again.