New Eco-Friendly Toilets Debut in Schuylkill Park
Some new, composting restrooms have opened along the banks of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.
KYW's John McDevitt reports that whether you're exercising on the trail or waiting for a tour boat on the Schuylkill, just south of the Walnut Street bridge, relief will be in sight in the form of a new odorless, waterless, comfort station.
Joseph Syrnick, president and CEO of the Schuylkill Banks Development Corporation, talks about how the composting toilet works:
"The way this works is this aerobic action -- aerobics means 'air.' It creates in there micro- organisms down below. There are wood chips put in there, and as the product comes down in, they actually attack it, break it down, and over time this actually takes years to happen. They break it down to a few shovelfuls of nutrient-rich soil."
...which, he says, will then be used to fertilize the trail's plantings.
The toilets are expected to save 1.5 gallons of water with every use.
The facility is costing $150,000, which was funded by grants, the City of Philadelphia, and private donations.
