human urine - can you compost it?

[ameliat]

I'm sure this has been asked/debated before, but can you put diluted human urine from a healthy/non med taking person in the compost pile? It should be a good source of N and I would think it wouldn't be any less safe than horse or chicken poo, but what do you guys think? Will it break down safely?

[Gary350]

Yes it works fine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRAaAkfi ... er&list=UL

[toxcrusadr]

Lots of ways to go about it, from the bucket-o-sawdust in the bathroom to direct application (if you know what I mean). Doesn't have to be limited to the compost pile, under trees and bushes is just fine too.

It could make a huge difference in nutrient waste and water usage if more people did it.

You may want to have a look at peeoutside.org and also a book (and website) called the Humanure Handbook.

[rot]

..
peeoutside.org seems to have gone away.

Regarding the topic, I apply directly to the bin.
..

[rainbowgardener]

yup, good source of nitrogen and quite safe; very little pathogens in urine. Humanure is a different question and needs to be done with more care. I did have composting toilet at my previous house, but the composting toilet composted and then heated the humanure and then we composted it further outside, in a separate area from the regular compost pile.

[ameliat]

thank you all for your replies. I guess people are grossed out by it, but you would think more (some) sources would mention it. It seems a lot more practical for those of us in the 'burbs than putting a bucket in your car and trying to score some horse poo.......

[toxcrusadr]

no one can see you fertilizing your shrubs, even in the suburban backyard.

Quick calculation: 300 million Americans times 2 gals per flush, times 5 flushes per day (that's conservative, I would think) is 3 billion gallons of water a day. Not only that but we use purified drinking water for this, superior to what most people on the planet can get just for drinking. It's a bit crazy.

So, I reapply directly to the soil whenever feasible and appropriate.

[Halfway]

I love all the yellow areas where the dog pee'd and killed the grass. I do pee directly on the compost pile, but I wouldn't suggest on plants. Too much nitrogen and SALT.

[rot]

..
I've got dogs peeing all over the place so what's a little more? I actually prefer to leak into the bin to put that nitrogen to work. I avoid that when I'm going to turn it in a couple of days. Then I just look for rodent works to pee on. Gotta mark my territory.

I hadn't considered the salt content though. I can't say I've seen much of an impact from the salt.

two cents
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[lily51]

Is this just a guy's idea for an excuse to pee outside?
(don't mean to be sexist, but really can't pciture a female coming up with this idea)

[ameliat]

Is this just a guy's idea for an excuse to pee outside?
(don't mean to be sexist, but really can't pciture a female coming up with this idea)

well I am a female and have no intentions of peeing outside (I don't even allow my son that pleasure ) My issue is, my grass is a mess and we treat it so I am not comfortable putting that in the compost and the books I read always seem to mention fresh manure as a good N source, but that isn't practical for me.

[rainbowgardener]

Well those of us without what my mother used to call "picnic attachments" (for ease of p'ing at a picnic I guess) probably aren't very likely to go out and p on our compost piles. But I have been known to p in a jar at times and take it out, either for the compost pile or for marking my territory to keep critters away.

Fresh manure of whatever variety isn't good for your garden, only for your compost pile. It would burn your garden if not mixed with carbon sources and composted, besides being smelly and yukky. And if you are talking about humanure, as I mentioned above with the composting toilet, you do need to be very careful with that, since there are a number of parasites and diseases that can be passed on that way.

[toxcrusadr]

Agreed that peeing directly on grass or plants can be a heavy shot of nitrogen. One thing about dogs, they tend to release whatever they're releasing in one little spot. Whereas an intelligent human (even a guy) can spread it out over several square feet. I haven't seen any burning in my fescue lawn doing it this way.

The nitrogen issue as well as salt is also very dependent on your soil type and climate. Sandy soil in a temperate (wet) climate is going to allow these to leach away rapidly. Clay soil or a dry climate, your mileage will vary.

I have clay soil, 30" of rain per year, and a lot of areas mulched with shredded yard waste (mostly wood chips) around trees, shrubs and perennial plants. I avoid the actual base of the plant, but any otherwise bare mulched area is fair game, and the problems we have with our plants (different thread!) are not at all related to nitrogen or salt.

[2cents]

Let's just say I know a guy.....who often takes a leak in the garden.
Right off the deck into the veggies,,,,,stay away from root crops, and leafy greens.
Never noticed a difference in the plants as long as it isn't directly on young shoots(too hot>nitrogen I guess)

[toxcrusadr]

Interesting tidbit from Wikipedia:

Urine typically contains 70% of the nitrogen and more than half the phosphorus and potassium found in urban waste water flows, while making up less than 1% of the overall volume.

So, it's potent stuff and keeping it out of the waste stream has an effect.

Urea content of urine is about 9 g/L, which translates to about 4 g nitrogen (as nitrogen) per liter.

Urine doesn't have much phosphorus - about a gram per 24 hr (which would be a couple liters). Nothing to sneeze at but the N content is the big thing.