Can you put kitchen waste into a composting toilet?

Composting toilets are designed to safely break down human waste into usable compost. But can you toss in your kitchen scraps too?

Technically, yes — but it’s not recommended.

Organic waste like vegetable peels and food leftovers will eventually decompose just like toilet waste. In theory, they could be added to a composting toilet system. However, there are a few reasons why we advise against mixing the two:

• Uneven Compost Quality: Kitchen waste and human waste don’t break down at the same pace. This can lead to inconsistent compost that’s not fully processed when it comes time to empty the unit.

• Pest Attraction: Food scraps are far more likely to attract unwanted visitors — like flies, insects, rodents, or even larger animals — especially in outdoor or less-secure setups.

What’s the better option?

Keep your kitchen compost and toilet compost separate. A small kitchen composter or a garden compost bin is ideal for food waste, while your composting toilet does its job with human waste and toilet paper.

Maintaining this separation keeps both systems working smoothly and hygienically — with better compost results all around.