The Biolan Populett Composting toilet is a composting toilet designed for high use locations, such as campgrounds and parks. Multiple compost bins can be used to allow for virtually unlimited capacity. They can be installed directly on the floor surface and is suitable for outhouses where no pit is allowed. The toilet is odorless, hygienic and environmentally friendly. Effective thermal insulation and the channel supplying air to the center of the compost mass help to ensure a quick composting process. The Populett Composting toilet is also suited for composting kitchen biowaste. Emptying is easy by wheeling out the compost bin at the back of the unit. You can empty the bin or purchase extra bins and wheel in an empty bin. Use the compost as cover soil or for fertilizing plants in your garden. No water or power supply is needed. Optional urine separation allows the characteristic hydrogen sulphide smell (the toilet smell) to be eliminated. The vent and covering of the feces with composting material (coco shells, peat moss, sawdust, etc.) prevent any bad odors, as well as the insulated toilet seat that seals odors from entering the building.
Installing the BIOLAN Populett Composting Toilet
While building and selecting a location for the Populett Composting toilet, it is essential to provide sufficient space for use and maintenance of the toilet from the back. Route the ventilation pipe without any bends through the roof over the ridge and to locate the seep liquid canister in a suitable place. See the dimension drawing for the toilet unit in Product support. Place the toilet unit directly on a firm base such as plywood, gravel or a concrete surface.
Locating the Populett Composting Toilet
Install the Populett Composting toilet through the floor so that the top of the compost tank acts as the seat. The height of the unit is 97 cm and normally the seat height is 45–50 cm. Leave about half of the unit under the floor of the building to achieve a comfortable seat height. Optionally, you can place an appropriate elevation in front of the seat. If you want, you can encapsulate the seat part out of sight. In this case, also provide a hole in the wooden top for the replacement air valve.
Installing the ventilation pipe
The seat top has two holes 110 mm in diameter – one for the replacement air valve and the other one for the ventilation pipe. The holes are identical, so as required you can switch the ventilation pipe and the replacement air valve. Route the ventilation pipe from the toilet unit straight up over the roof ridge. Any bends in the ventilation pipe impede natural ventilation, causing odor and moisture problems. Seal the lead-through on the roof using sealant suitable for the roofing material.
If you have to make some bends, take note that the curvature of such bends must not exceed 33 degrees. You can boost the ventilation and evaporation of moisture by means of the optional Biolan Wind Fan. In complicated venting installations or when installing the Populett Composting toilet in a residential location, it is recommended to use the Biolan Exhaust Ventilator, which is installed in the ventilation pipe. As required, you can even retro-fit the ventilator. Where necessary, the ventilation pipe can be extended using the 3″ ABS pipe adaptor. You can purchase ventilation pipes also as spare parts from our webshop.
Before use
Put a layer about 5 cm thick (about 20 l) of Biolan Compost and Toilet Bulking Material onto the bottom of the Biolan Populett in order to prevent the liquid separation system from getting clogged. If the toilet is to be used in urine-separating mode, the separating flap shall be set to direct flow into the separating pipe. If the unit is to be used in seep-liquid-separating mode, the flap shall be left so that it closes the separating pipe.
Adjusting the air valve in the seat top
Ventilation of the Populett Toilet is controlled using the replacement air valve in the seat top. During summer the valve is kept open which makes the ventilation more effective and the evaporation of liquids more efficient. During winter the air valve is kept almost closed, which reduces temperature loss from the composting mass. Keep the thermal seat lid closed, when the toilet is not in use, to ensure the correct operation of the ventilation.
Draining off the seep liquid
If you don’t separate the urine, the amount of seep liquid from the Populett Composting toile is small, depending on the use, about 0.2 to 0.5 liters/user/per day. The seep liquid, however, is extremely rich in nutrients and must not be allowed to enter soil without being treated first.
The optional urine separator at the bottom of the Populett Composting toilet enables the separation of urine and any seep liquid from the compost mass. Separating the urine allows for a dryer compost mass that is easier to remove from the back of the toilet, but requires more frequent emptying of the urine tank. Place the separating plate into the recess in the bottom of the Populett Composting toilet. Connect the seep liquid pipe to the drain hole in one side of the toilet unit. Route the pipe into the urine tank. Place the urine tank so that the urine flows by gravitation into the tank. Route the hose into a canister that you have placed in such a way that the liquid will flow by gravity alone. If the height is an issue, you can put the tank in a pit with a cover of plywood, or you can lay the canister on its side. Keep in mind the possible use of the toilet in winter when locating the urine pipe and insulating the tank.
Year-round use of the toilet
The toilet waste freezes in frost. Freezing damages neither the unit nor the compost mass. Decomposing of the compost mass will continue when the air temperature rises. The capacity of the toilet can be increased by utilizing the urine-separating functionality of the Populett. The liquid tank shall be emptied in the autumn. Its filling level shall be observed to prevent it from cracking due to freezing.
Maintenance:
The toilet is fairly simple to maintain. The Populett can be kept clean by wiping down the inside seat area with standard non-abrasive cleaning products. The Biolan Populett toilet container can easily be replaced when it fills up and is wheeled away to the emptying location. The biomass can stay in the container until it has completely composted and can then be emptied completely. The emptying can be carried out either by shoveling, by turning the body of the toilet container upside down, or by tipping it over using the tail lift of a waste truck. The Populett toilet is fitted with a bracket for the waste bin lift of the truck. Multiple compost containers can be purchased for high-use locations, so there is no downtime for the toilet.
We recommend that a toilet used only in the summer be emptied in the spring, before using for the first time. The emptying process is most convenient and easiest at this stage.
Remove the thermal seat and the sealing strip or cover from between the wall and the unit, if installed.
Take the liquid hose out from the canister/tank and fix it to the hose bracket by turning.
Pull the compost mixer to its rear position.
Disconnect the air pipe from the toilet unit by lifting.
Pull the unit out of the building.
Tilt the unit so that you will be able to put the shaft with wheels in place.
Transfer the unit to the emptying location or leave the mass inside the tank for composting and replace it with a new tank.
Volume:200 liters
seat height: 48 cm
height: 93.5 cm
weight: about 50 kg
diameter of the outlet air pipe: 110 mm
diameter of the liquid removal pipe: 32 mm
color: brown
Length of the outlet air pipe: 2 x 1000 mm
External diameter of the liquid removal pipe: 32 mm
Length of the drainpipe: 12 – 95 cm
Volume of the seep liquid tank: 25 l
RETURN POLICY
We gladly accept most unused and unopened merchandise for a full refund within 30 days of purchase (see exceptions below). Simply return the complete product to us in its clean original packaging, accompanied with the original proof of purchase or receipt. Note that the buyer is responsible for return shipping costs.
Unused items with open boxes within 30 days of purchase will be subject to a 10% restocking fee. These items must be returned in the original packaging with all accessories.
Please note:
Special-order merchandise is not returnable Non-refundable items include: Cleaning or clothing products, hammocks, Coghlans, Aquatabs, and other items as specified Batteries of any kind are not returnable. This includes but is not limited to all flooded acid, sealed/AGM, or LiFePO4 batteries. There are no exceptions*
*It is not possible to measure or guarantee with certainty that a battery has been unused once it has left our warehouse. Accepting a battery return and then reselling to other customers with the presumption of it being unused is not a practice we follow.
WARRANTY
All merchandise is subject to the manufactures warranty and will be repaired or replaced as per the manufactures directions. The Cabin Depot™ is a retail business and we do not employ installers. However, we are very happy to assist customers having issues with any products purchased by reaching out to the manufacturer on the customers behalf if needed to help expedite the troubleshooting or warranty process.
DISCLAIMER
The Cabin Depot Ltd. is a retail business exclusively and accepts no liability for DIY installations or equipment selection. It is the customers responsibility to read the manufacturers manuals and installation instructions carefully, ensure all local, provincial, or national building codes are met, and contact a qualified installer or tradesperson if required.
How much is shipping?
Most shipping costs can be calculated in the cart area or at checkout.
Most items will ship via Canada Post, UPS, Canpar or FedEx.
Estimated Shipping Times-
If your order is received before noon Eastern Time, your order will typically ship out within 24-48 hours during business hours Mon-Fri. This is dependent on stock and availability. Larger items like solar systems and items that ship on a pallet may take longer. Busy seasons and demand may affect this timeline. Feel free to contact us at 1-844-603-4743, or email quotes@thecabindepot.com for an updated timeframe if you require something urgently.
Free Shipping – Any item that is listed on our website with free shipping adheres to the following policy:
Free shipping applies to standard residential or business addresses only. This covers 99% of our customers. However, if you live on top of a mountain, on an island with limited ferry access, need a plane or helicopter to reach your home, your nearest neighbour is a penguin, you live in a yurt in Death Valley that only donkeys can reach, or other remote location that delivery trucks cannot easily access or are outside of their traditional delivery routes, additional shipping costs may be incurred. We will contact you before shipping your order to confirm if additional charges may apply. We reserve the right to notify you after you have purchased an item of any additional shipping or handling charges necessary to deliver your order. If notified of any additional charges, you also have the right to modify or cancel your order for a full refund. Regions that are subject to a surcharge include, but are not limited to the following:
- Yukon
- Northwest Territories
- Nunavut
- The Islands of British Columbia
Larger items that would require shipping on a pallet would ship LTL.
Less-than-truckload, also known as less-than-load (LTL), is a shipping service for relatively small loads or quantities of freight. Less-than-truckload services are offered by many large, national parcel services as well as by specialized logistics providers.
Please see below for the shipping procedure for LTL shipments.
LTL Shipments may include appliances, solar panels, batteries, Cinderella Incinerating Toilets and wood stoves.
Curbside Freight Shipment Procedure-
Most appliances, solar equipment or larger shipment items ship via tractor trailer or straight truck and are limited to a curbside delivery. Freight carriers are specially trained and equipped to handle oversized and fragile items safely and efficiently. Please refer to the steps below to know what to expect for the delivery service. Please note that these items cannot ship to P.O. Box.
Step 1 – Within 24 - 48 hours after your order is shipped you will receive a confirmation email providing tracking information.
Step 2 – Once the shipment has arrived at your local freight terminal, transport will call you to schedule a delivery appointment. Appointments are made Mondays – Fridays and you are usually given a 4-hour window to expect delivery during business hours. It is important that the phone number provided when ordering is a working number to contact you. If an appointment is not made within a 24-hour period of being contacted, storage fees may apply. You would be responsible for these fees.
Step 3 – Curb side delivery completion – The driver will arrive with a lift-gate truck (truck sizes vary) and will lower the order onto the ground at the edge of your driveway. Due to company policy the driver is not authorized to move it further. Curbside delivery service does not include set up or assembly of items, or removal of packaging materials, nor does it include bringing the items inside the home.
Step 4 - Upon delivery, you will need to inspect and sign a Proof of Delivery Receipt for the shipment. Check for visible damage and if any damage is seen make sure that it is noted on the delivery receipt and take pictures of the damage. You have the right to refuse the delivery due to damage shown. For all transport damage issues please contact us immediately. Please note: Shipping is unavailable to P.O. Boxes
What to know before accepting your delivery-
The Cabin Depot wants to make sure your order delivers on time, accurately, and damage free. So, we have some important information about receiving a new order.
We carefully inspect all orders before they leave our warehouse to ensure they are accurate and in perfect condition. If you haven’t received a shipping e-mail confirmation with tracking, and are curious about the status of your order, please let us know at any time by calling
1-844-603-4743 and select option #1.
Whenyour order arrives, you will need to carefully inspect immediately before the truck driver leaves or attempts to have you sign off on the paperwork. Paperwork is normally provided, and your signature requested by the driver to acknowledge your order was delivered. If they have no paperwork for you to sign (usually a BOL or Freight Bill) you can request it. Some drivers will want to drop your order and leave asap as they have other deliveries to make. But remember, you paid to have them deliver your order in perfect condition, and they will wait for you to inspect it. If you sign the delivery paperwork without noting any discrepancies or damage, the freight company will not accept a claim and make the customer liable for any damage discovered. So, this inspection means that you should: Open all boxes Count all items Ensure the items shipped are the correct model / type / colour.
DO NOT sign the driver’s paperwork unless you are 100% certain the order is complete, there are no missing items, and it has arrived in perfect condition.
IF YOUR ORDER ARRIVES INCORRECT OR IS MISSING ITMES:
Note exactly what was shipped incorrect or missing on your paperwork. You need to clearly write this on the BOL or Freight Bill. Take a picture of the products received, then contact us and we’ll investigate and get this corrected for you asap!
IF YOUR ORDER ARRIVES DAMAGED:
As upsetting as this may be, it does happen on occasion as careless drivers or warehouse workers may have mishandled your order. In this situation, you have 2 options: If there is significant damage to the order, you can refuse it. Note “ORDER REFUSED DUE TO DAMAGE” on the paperwork, and make sure you take plenty of pictures of the damage. Then send this information to us so we can follow up with the freight company. We can then either refund your order or ship a completely new order to you if the product is still in stock and available. If there’s only slight damage to your order, you can still choose to receive it. But note this damage clearly on the paperwork and take several pictures. Then send this information to us and we will follow up with the freight company. They would then be liable to provide parts to repair or send you some form of compensation.
IF YOU INSPECTED YOUR ORDER, BUT LATER FIND DAMAGE:
This is known as ‘concealed damage’ and freight companies only allow 24 hours to file a concealed damage claim. So, it is very important that if you start unpacking your order and discover damage to a part that wasn’t visible when you removed the packaging for initial inspection, you need to take pictures and contact us immediately. Do not wait. Freight companies will not even consider a concealed damage claim if one is filed more than 24 hours after receipt. Note that concealed damage claims are often denied, which is why your primary inspection as soon as the order arrives is so important.
Shipping can be expensive, especially when shipping from coast to coast to coast, that's why we believe in being fully transparent about how much you're actually paying for shipping.
This is why we ask our customers who are interested in purchasing larger items that they fill out a shipping quote request.
Shipping costs can vary for these larger items and it's not always fair to the consumer to build in "free shipping" costs for these items. This means that you are typically paying more for shipping, and the product, than you should be.
Some shipping definitions that may help you in the process:
- Liftgate Service
This is where the shipping company can lower your items to the ground via a truck "elevator".
- Appointment Delivery
This is where the delivery company will contact you when your order arrives at your closest terminal. They will contact you to arrange a block of time, usually a 4 hour window, to deliver your items within.
- Business Delivery
This is when your order would be shipped to a business that has loading dock, fork lift or appropriate means of off-loading your shipment.
Please note that quote requests normally take 24 hours on average to complete, at which time we will contact you by phone or e-mail. Quotes received over the weekend will be replied to on Monday. Some quotes may take longer to process depending on the delivery location and availability of the shipping companies to provide us with quotes.
We're here for you!
The Cabin Depot™ is very proud to be Canada's largest off-grid living solutions provider. We are 100% Canadian owned and operated, and we don't just sell products - we love helping people! So if you have questions about the product being quoted today - or about any of the products we carry - just let us know!
or
at checkout!
Learn more