Flying Toilets!?

[Speculator]

This article wouldn't be news to anyone who's walked the Arthurs recently, but it was to me. I didn't realise they'd put toilets out there, but I also hadn't heard that they fly the waste back out again. It's also interesting to note that toilet paper doesn't break down out there and that your buried bodily waste gets into the water table too!

So, if you see a helicopter going by carrying a large green (well, that's the colour of the ones I've seen in other areas) sort of conical fibreglass tank, that's the plopper-chopper.... I wouldn't stand underneath it, just in case!

L8r.

[tastrax]

The bins have been in use since the mid 90's and are used by themselves or as a receptacle under a more conventional toilet building. The toilet at Kitchen hut uses these bins as does the one at Lady Lake, Walls of Jerusalem (Wild Dog creek), Bivouac Bay in the Tasman National Park and quite a few others. The same bins are used for the liquid effluent from the composters on the Overland Track.

Cheers - Phil

[the_camera_poser]

Plopper chopper. I like it.

You'd get some amazing photos on that flight.

[corvus]

The tonnage of poo... +paper and other stuff in our "wilderness areas" is mind boggling and helps explain the fees on the tracks with jobby wheeking whirlybirds costing $1400.00 per wipe(sorry lift)

[Robbo]

Here is the a couple of pictures. One of the item in question - at High Moor Camp, and the other the view looking out from it...

TR

[corvus]

Is it time perhaps to enforce the carry in carry out rule in our remoter areas ,wherein you carry out your solid waste after all it should be lighter than the food you carried in.
Have only ever done it once on a special exercise in winter (hardest part was keeping the the cling film still ) but it does work albeit for a weekend ,would be fun on an extended walk and wide mouth bottles are a must for cartage

[Robbo]

Is it time perhaps to enforce the carry in carry out rule in our remoter areas

I guess there is an argument for this in pristine and areas that are obviously at risk for being 'loved to death'...

TR

[flyfisher]

Would be an interesting exercise for someone stricken with gastro
Would probably require a large funnel
YUK!!
FF

[corvus]

No FF just good aim into a double width cling film or a choice of diet that includes lots of cheese or Freeze Dri meals
It is a serious concern tho despite my levity.
c

[tastrax]

Its a bit of a chore but there are lots of sites with "poo tube" instructions. They seem to be in regular use by some kayakers, cross country skiers, mountaineers (to a lesser extent) and rockclimbers.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recrea ... man-waste/
http://www.cccsc.asn.au/Text/pooTube.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Poop-Tube
http://www.davidlnelson.md/ElCapitan/De ... opTube.htm
http://www.fastq.com/~jrschroeder/poop.htm

rafting companies have it down to a fine art!

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp? ... &src=champ

[corvus]

tastrax thanks for the updates 40 years + since I used this method but it makes sense to use bio degradable bags film etc which is now available in "plastic" check out http://www.biobaganz.com/Site/Where_toBuy.html
For a weekend I suspect I could get away with a 2lt screwtop plastic jar 40 +years ago we were restricted to clingfilm and zip locks but it was cold and the poo... froze overnight
Lets introduce the POO TUBES to sensitive sites ,only problem is we would need to employ shizenhousen klerkin to monitor the areas to check in and out and we all know what sort of a job that would be dont we and it would cost more than the Jobby Wheekin Whirlybird to police.
Oh well one day

[Speculator]

Plopper chopper. I like it.

Yup, the other alternatives were smellycopter and whirlyturd!

Seriously though, Corvus, if we're ever asked to carry our own waste out, I'm staying at home!

We do tend to spend a lot of time talking about poo in these forums don't we?

L8r.

[Son of a Beach]

My wife and I watched that story on the news the other night and it brought back some memories of our last trip in the Arthurs when we spent two nights at Lake Oberon, then back out Alpha Moraine again. The tank-dunny was sooo full, that the maggots we could see oozing through it could have just about jumped out, and when using the tank, there was grave danger of splash back on the nether regions.

Needless to say, we were very excited when a helicopter landed right next to us on our way out of camp on the first morning (on our way up Mt Pegasus), and they said there were here to change the dunnies. Only trouble was there was no denying who's waste it was in the bottom of the new tank on the second morning!

It was an interesting sight, watching the helicopter buzzing all around the mountains, carrying out the old tanks and dropping in the new ones. We watched it all from the top (and side) of Mt Pegasus.

[dee_legg]

Hmm splash back... i think i'd much rather carry a nalgene and do my business in that than sit over one of those things. I must say i'd probably be throwing out the nalgene afterwards though.

[sirius Tas]

For those worried about water quality this may be the answer...http://www.rei.com/product/708980

[corvus]

This site may help us in to "carry in carry out" http://www.area51.net.au/contents/en-us/p392.html

[sirius Tas]

Yep...definitely with Speculator here...if it ever comes to that...I'm staying put. Imagine having that jammed inside a pack...and getting pierced...oh boy...doesn't bear thinking about.
For those worrying about splash back...pay to check when the flying pooper scoopers have been and gone...and then get out there...lol.

[sirius Tas]

Also bear in mind...that over a longish trip...the pack isn't getting any lighter???

[tasadam]

This article wouldn't be news to anyone who's walked the Arthurs recently,<snip>.

And the photo in that article was taken by one of our members here at the forum.
Congrats Andrew on being published.

[Clownfish]

My sons and I just realised that what we thought was a helicopter carrying a fire-fighting bucket, seen from Hanson's Peak two weeks ago, was actually the Plopper-chopper.

My youngest son is now greatly relieved that his cry of "come and dump it on us!" (it was a hot day) was ignored!

If it's of any interest to posterity, I did capture the beastie on video ...