When Nature calls

ZenLoo is a waterless flushing toilet system designed for off‑grid and sensitive locations. Therefore, it’s nothing like a compost toilet. Users cannot see any visual human waste, nor are they disturbed by smell. No plumbing is needed for a ZenLoo, yet it still provides the “flush-and-forget” experience.

With the ZenLoo, there is a robustly engineered, patented sealing mechanism that sits underneath the toilet. It is never visible to the user, only to the servicer when changing the refill. The sealing mechanism creates a continuous airlock between the user and the stored waste, which sits below the toilet in a lined barrel. The sealing unit has several important features that enable this, including a geometry that allows liquid to pass thorough easily for maximal flush efficiency. Users describe the ZenLoo as “on par with a water flush toilet.” Some say it’s even better, as there is no splashing or faecal mist created during flushing, making it more hygienic. 

Yes, ZenLoo toilets are intended for off-grid solutions. They offer low-maintenance, stress and odorfree experiences for your guests.

It depends completely on your use case, but in a typical glamping scenario we’d suggest twice per week. However, a refill can last a full week. If you decide to swap out the barrel and remove the waste before the refill has run out, you can use a scissors to cut the refill above the barrel and tie a new knot.

Customers can contract directly with Novus Environmental or Albus Environmental, depending on your region. Standard Operating Procedures must be followed for waste storage. These procedures are provided in our customer information pack.

You won’t need a specialist to install a ZenLoo. Any builder or carpenter can install the toilet following the specifications and instructions in the installation guide. 

The worst-case mishaps that can happen with the ZenLoo are the following: 

• If someone deliberately creates a tear in the liner, or flushes a lit cigarette down the toilet, you can have an incidence of a puncture in the liner. This can be a nuisance (it can mean wiping down the rubber belts in the sealing unit) but it does not lead to any major issues. 

• Belt misalignment, which can happen in cases of misuse such as flushing large objects or forcing the refill through the sealing mechanism. These occasions are rare, and can be fixed onsite by removing the sealing mechanism and realigning the belts. Our customer service team can provide a video showing how this is done, so no call-out is needed. 

• Customer reverses and advances the flush repeatedly without notifying the host. This can lead to the refill getting wrapped or entangled around the belts. When this happens, the refill needs to be manually removed and replaced. This is best avoided by installing the toilet such that your customers don’t have easy access to the control panel, and/or, concealing the reverse button beneath a white sticker. 

Typically, the ZenLoo is so easy to service that you don’t even need gloves. In the above instances we would recommend wearing gloves as you would cleaning any bathroom. The good news is, none of the above instances require a specialist engineer or call-out. This is one of the many reasons ZenLoo is more affordable than other options on the market. 

The ZenLoo is perfectly adapted to this setting, in that it does not require any maintenance in the off-season, and the costs of ownership and use are only incurred when the toilet is in use. 

As part of our installation guide, we’ll supply you with recommended instructions to give to your customers. They might discourage flushing large objects and cigarettes down the toilet, for example.

Unlike many other products in our sector, the ZenLoo does not ask customers to behave a certain way (for example, pee in a specific part of the toilet, spread sawdust, avoid toilet paper, etc). You simply “flush and forget.” If menstrual hygiene products or other objects are flushed down, it’s no problem. If someone accidentally flushes a needed object (e.g. a phone, or a wedding ring) it can be retrieved using the reverse feature.

The sealing mechanism contains a sensor that will stop the toilet flushing, and the display panel will read “blockage.” Flushing will cease operating until the blockage is cleared, and the reset button is pushed. This can be managed by your customers, or by the hosts,  depending on your use case.