Pee-ing in compost

[Snadger]

I noticed in the GYO mag and also in the forum, mention of pee-ing in your compost bin (males only)

I imagine this would be a good compost activator but from what I can gather their are some nasty diseases passed on through bodily fluids, Hepatitis and Aids to name but a few.!!

Am I being paranoid about this, or is there a possibility of cross infection?

Do we have any gardening doctors who could shed some light on this?

[OverWyreGrower]

My OH has pee-d on the compost. We know he doesn't have any of the above problems....

If it all breaks down/rots etc, I wonder if those viral/disease things still carry on living?

[Earthbabe]

Who would you allow to pee in your compost Snadger? I was disappointed that us girlies can't help. Shall have to speak sternly to hubby about not using the hedge. There is a little book available from Tamar Organics called Liquid Gold which covers this subject in depth. Unfortunately haven't read it so cannot enlighten further. If compost heap reaches a good temperature it may not be a problem but there is probably another grape with a clearer idea.

[multiveg]

Us girlies can help! Somewhere out there on the web is a company selling a tube-thing to help us girls aim standing up (not had any experience with that sort of thing though). However, if that isn't up your street, then how about a container or child's potty kept in the allotment shed to go in. I use my hubby's old enamelled potty! Also makes a good liquid fertiliser if diluted.

Urine is usually sterile (possibly might not be if a person has kidney problems) - even heard of some people drinking it (as a health tonic best drunk fresh in the morning).

As for other uses for liquid gold - there's washing your children's faces in it to make them pretty, peeing on jellyfish stings, sprinkling the bride & groom like confetti..... The book is a good read.

[Birdie Wife]

Unfortunately mulitveg, us girlies aren't allowed to pee on the compost because while urine is a good compost activator, the oestrogens in girly wee can actually be counterproductive. Anyway, eeeyyoo....

[multiveg]

Does that mean the strawy horse manure I get is rubbish because it is a mare's? And I suppose Birdie Wife gets strawy horse manure from only male horses.

[multiveg]

Liquid Gold book said that according to sanitation researcher from Swedish Institute of Infectious Diseases, humans rarely excrete disease-causing organisms (pathogens) in urine. Salmonella can be transmitted this way (but inactivated shortly after excretion).

I have to disagree with Birdie Wife's comments - there are oestrogen-like compounds in shampoos and that can be absorbed into the body so male urine may contain these compounds and be counterproductive. In the book, one woman has been using urine for 30 years - she has 3 daughters and no inside loo. What about the damage to watercourses from flushing female urine down the toilet with drinking water damaging fish.

[yoanbob]

no, it'll be fine, its just us humans who are so hormonal that even the plants get pmt

[Bramble Lover]

Now im confused

To pee or not to pee........I know mens is supposed to be better but I thought that us ladies just produced inferior pee and have been disposing of mine on the compost heap down the allotment.

Should I stop??????

Oh lordy lordy........not often I can get hubby down there and I cant see him bottling it.

[Snadger]

Us girlies can help! Somewhere out there on the web is a company selling a tube-thing to help us girls aim standing up (not had any experience with that sort of thing though). However, if that isn't up your street, then how about a container or child's potty kept in the allotment shed to go in. I use my hubby's old enamelled potty! Also makes a good liquid fertiliser if diluted.

Urine is usually sterile (possibly might not be if a person has kidney problems) - even heard of some people drinking it (as a health tonic best drunk fresh in the morning).

As for other uses for liquid gold - there's washing your children's faces in it to make them pretty, peeing on jellyfish stings, sprinkling the bride & groom like confetti..... The book is a good read.

It cures the blisters on your hands as well but boy does it sting!

[Snadger]

Unfortunately mulitveg, us girlies aren't allowed to pee on the compost because while urine is a good compost activator, the oestrogens in girly wee can actually be counterproductive. Anyway, eeeyyoo....

By counterproductive do you mean as in weedkiller? If so thats just solved another problem in my lottie!

[yoanbob]

Now im confused

To pee or not to pee........I know mens is supposed to be better but I thought that us ladies just produced inferior pee and have been disposing of mine on the compost heap down the allotment.

Should I stop??????

Oh lordy lordy........not often I can get hubby down there and I cant see him bottling it


personally i wouldnt risk it, doesnt mean it has to go to waste tho, its a great fox deterant.

[Slug]

I noticed in the GYO mag and also in the forum, mention of pee-ing in your compost bin (males only)

I imagine this would be a good compost activator but from what I can gather their are some nasty diseases passed on through bodily fluids, Hepatitis and Aids to name but a few.!!

Am I being paranoid about this, or is there a possibility of cross infection?

Do we have any gardening doctors who could shed some light on this?

From a medical point of view, diseases like Hepatitis and Aids shouldn't be in any great quantity in wee - and also, once these viruses have left the body they die pretty quickly. This is why you can't catch all these nasties from the toilet seat - once out of the body for a very short period of time... they're history!

I wouldn't worry about that in the compost heap, especially when you think of how long it will be in the compost before you come to use it

[Birdie Wife]

I have to disagree with Birdie Wife's comments - there are oestrogen-like compounds in shampoos and that can be absorbed into the body so male urine may contain these compounds and be counterproductive. In the book, one woman has been using urine for 30 years - she has 3 daughters and no inside loo. What about the damage to watercourses from flushing female urine down the toilet with drinking water damaging fish.

Hi multiveg,

I should have made it clear - I wasn't exactly expressing an opinion, just regurgitating the info given in the last issue of the GYO mag, s'all. I don't know from first hand experience as I've never done a trial (and never likely to either!). By all means continue to pee if you want to.

[yoanbob]

it kills of some grasses etc if directly applied, would'nt rate its chances against nettles tho.