What are the alternatives to a composting toilet?

For glamping and off-grid sites, the main options are a composting toilet, an incinerating toilet, a flush toilet with a septic tank, or a waterless flushing toilet like ZenLoo. ZenLoo is the only one that needs no water, no mains power and no compost management, while feeling like a normal flush to guests.

ZenLoo waterless flushing toilet

  • Needs: 12V DC from a battery or solar. No water, sewer or tank.
  • Upfront: £2,250 + VAT
  • Ongoing: around 5p per use for liners, plus £18 per 60L barrel collected
  • Guest experience: like a normal flush. Nothing to see, no smell, no instructions
  • Upkeep: change liners and swap barrels. Cleaning staff can do it

Best for: glamping and off-grid sites that want a hotel-standard toilet with no infrastructure.

Composting toilet

  • Needs: no water. Space and time to manage compost
  • Ongoing: sawdust or bulking material, plus emptying and composting
  • Guest experience: sawdust and visible waste. Guests may need to separate urine
  • Upkeep: regular, hands-on handling of waste

Better choice when: there’s no vehicle access for collections and you’re happy to manage compost on site.

Incinerating toilet

  • Needs: mains 230V or gas
  • Upfront: around £3,542
  • Ongoing: power or gas for each burn, plus servicing
  • Guest experience: close to a normal toilet
  • Upkeep: faults often need a specialist engineer

Better choice when: you have mains power or gas and waste collection isn’t available.

Flush toilet and septic tank

  • Needs: mains water, a septic tank and excavation
  • Upfront: around £4,200 to £6,000+
  • Ongoing: water, plus tank emptying
  • Guest experience: a standard flush toilet
  • Upkeep: tank emptying by tanker

Better choice when: you have mains water, space for a tank and you’re outside a nutrient-sensitive catchment.

Indicative UK pricing. Costs vary by site, installation and ground conditions. Sources: ZenLoo, Cinderella UK retailers, Checkatrade (2026).

FAQs

What is the best alternative to a composting toilet?

For glamping and off-grid sites, a waterless flushing toilet like ZenLoo. Guests use it like a normal toilet, with no sawdust, no visible waste and no compost to manage.

Which off-grid toilet is cheapest to run?

It depends on your site. ZenLoo costs around 5p per use for liners plus £18 per barrel collected, with nothing to pay in the off-season and no mains power, water or tank emptying.

Is an incinerating toilet better than a waterless toilet?

An incinerating toilet suits sites with mains power or gas and no waste collection. ZenLoo runs on 12V, costs around £1,300 less upfront and rarely needs an engineer.

Do I need a septic tank for a glamping toilet?

Not with ZenLoo. It needs no septic tank, drainage field, sewer or water supply.

Speak to our team

Not sure which suits your site?

Tell us about your site and we’ll give you a straight answer, even if it’s not ZenLoo.

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