If you’ve been thinking about installing a composting toilet lately, it’s likely you’ve thought to yourself “I wonder if it’s against the law to install a composting toilet?”. Well, we’ve tried to answer all your questions and more below.
Before we get into the legalities of installing composting toilets we wanted to cover an important aspect of composting toilet design and that is if they meet Australian standards.
Composting Toilets and Australian Standards
The first thing you will want to make sure of is that any composting toilet you look at meets Australian standards. The Australian standard you want to look for is the AS1546.2.
This particular standard is part of a series that’s been revised for both Australia and New Zealand for on-site domestic wastewater management.
These standards test plastic tank materials, injection moulding methods and rotationally moulded tanks so when you’re checking out composting toilets online or talking to a composting toilet manufacturer, make sure you ask them about AS1546.2. Standards and if their products meet them.
Composting toilet – Australian State Legislation
When it comes to composting toilets essentially your local council has the final say on what you can and can not do however it’s worth knowing what the state laws say as many local councils will defer to the Australian Standards and State Legislation for guidance when it comes to the type, size and placement of a composting toilet for residential use. Let’s go over our state laws.
Queensland laws for composting toilets
The Department of Housing and Public Works states that as long as the composting toilet you purchase complies with Schedule 8, Part 2 of the Environmental Protection (Waste Management) Regulation 2000, you’re good to go.
They also recommend getting a written statement of compliance from the manufacturer or distributor. If you require this for one of our products, please let us know as we would be more than happy to organise this for you.
For more information about Queensland State legislation about composting toilets click here.
New South Wales laws for composting toilets
New South Wales Health states there are a few requirements when it comes to installing a composting toilet in NSW. For example, the dwelling needs to be a domestic nature occupied by a maximum of 10 persons or where the average daily flow of sewage is less than 2000 litres.
For more information about NSW state legislation for composting toilets click here.
Australian Capital Territory laws for composting toilets
There’s not much on the Government's website about composting toilets, but this ACT Health Guidelines for Approval of Waterless Composting Toilets in Domestic Premises PDF states that it is a guideline setting out the minimum requirements for approval by ACT Health for installation of Waterless Composting Toilets, also known as humus closets and biological toilets, which treat human excreta and domestic organic matter from single domestic dwellings.
Victorian laws for composting toilets
The Environmental Protection Agency is the state regulatory body in Vic for composting toilets, wastewater, greywater and blackwater. You can visit their Onsite Wastewater page for more information and classifications or you can check out the Code of practice – Onsite wastewater management.
Western Australian laws for composting toilets
The Western Australian government takes a fairly simple approach to composting toilets on their government website, it’s just a list of approved waterless toilet suppliers for Western Australia. You may need to contact them for additional information on Telephone: 9388 4999 or Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
South Australian laws for composting toilets
Under the Wastewater Regulations in South Australia, all composting toilets are the subject of product approval by SA Health.
For more information about South Australian State legislation about composting toilets click here.
Tasmanian laws for composting toilets
If you live in the Apple Isle we are jealous - although having our head office in Queensland has its perks! If you’re looking for a list of accredited suppliers of composting toilets in Tasmania, take a look at this page on the Consumer, Building and Occupational Services website
Local Councils roles in approving composting toilets
Ultimately it’s up to local councils to approve composting toilets. Many of them will look at state legislation and go by that, others will have their own legislation. If in doubt, contact your local council for more information about composting toilets in your area.
