Eco-Friendly Toilet Stops on Handa Island

There’s nothing worse than being caught short when you’re out walking. And when you’re on the tiny island of Handa, located of Scotland’s north-west coast and uninhabited for six months a year, an emergency stop in a coffee shop isn’t going to save you.

But with a little help from Scottish Wildlife Trust, you won’t have to worry. The Scottish charity is spending £50,000 to create their new ambitious storm-proof toilet for volunteers and visitors to use. With over 6,000 bird watchers and enthusiasts visiting the island during spring and summer, the new installation will be vital for the running of the island.

However, the design of the toilet will have to be like no other. Firstly due to the lack of running water, people who use the toilet will have to sprinkle sawdust after a visit. In order to make sure that the toilet’s contents aren’t blown all over the island by gales, the unit’s steel foundations will be set at a depth of two metres – and it will be cleaned out every two years.

It’s also important that the installation does not affect the natural habitat thriving on the island. The team will build the public toilet on a hill overlooking the beach and should finish construction within a week, to keep disruption to a minimum.

“There will be no pollution from this toilet, only compost,” said Phil Knott, a ranger on the island. “It is an eco facility, with a turf roof and eco-friendly cleaning products. And from the door you can see lots of iconic mountains like Suilven, Foinaven and Ben Mor Coigach as well as seals and otters on the beach.”

Even if you don’t fancy installing an eco-toilet in your own home, there are plenty of ways that you can choose a more eco-friendly way of life. Whether it’s growing your own fruit and vegetables in window boxes or recycling your waste, there are thousands of ways to become greener. And it couldn’t be easier, with fantastic websites such as Nigel’s Eco Store, Etsy and Do The Green Thing giving you tips and products on how to upcycle and be a little greener.