Jump to content

Poo'tastic?


Dr Bob

Featured Posts

3 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

That is a really interesting document!

To me it says a number of things:

  1. Urine is a very useful fertiliser and we should use it as a fertiliser if we can

  2. The main problem is that it contains too much water (so the Nitrogen content is too low) so it is not commercially viable

  3. If it could be reduced in water content then it could replace a lot of man made alternatives

so nothing about it being 'bad' to spread on the land. That to me is quite significant.

 

BUT, the main bulk of the paper then goes on to discuss the chemistry of urine which is even more interesting.

Left to it's own devices, a molecule of urea (the active component in urine) will react to hydrocarbonic acid and two molecules of ammonia via a reaction catalysed by urease-enzymes. This reaction happens very quickly (ie seconds/minutes). Unknown to most of us (as the paper says), human faeces contain large amounts of urease forming bacteria therefore mixing solids and liquids in a toilet start the ammonia forming reaction going. Ammonia and its derivatives are very strong green house gasses and we know ammonia is there from the smell of mixed toilet waste. Global warming here we come!

It is therefore very interesting that any toilet that separates the liquid from solid HAS to be far better for the environment firstly as it will SIGNIFICANTLY reduce ammonia formation from the urine and secondly, the urine's action as a fertiliser can be a benefit. As a chemist, I had not realised that.

Spreading it along the hedgerows looks like it is a big benefit to global warming in reducing ammonia emissions and promoting plant growth to extract more CO2 from the atmosphere.

 

But, it is a well know fact that putting too much Nitrogen into streams, dykes & canals can have a detrimental effect, due to the huge amount of weed growth as a result.

 

(But, OK to put in the hedge bottom)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

But, it is a well know fact that putting too much Nitrogen into streams, dykes & canals can have a detrimental effect, due to the huge amount of weed growth as a result.

 

(But, OK to put in the hedge bottom)

Then  you lose the environmental advantage as the farmer has to come along in his diesel powered tractor to cut the hedges more often.      :D 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

That is a really interesting document!

To me it says a number of things:

  1. Urine is a very useful fertiliser and we should use it as a fertiliser if we can

  2. The main problem is that it contains too much water (so the Nitrogen content is too low) so it is not commercially viable

  3. If it could be reduced in water content then it could replace a lot of man made alternatives

so nothing about it being 'bad' to spread on the land. That to me is quite significant.

 

BUT, the main bulk of the paper then goes on to discuss the chemistry of urine which is even more interesting.

Left to it's own devices, a molecule of urea (the active component in urine) will react to hydrocarbonic acid and two molecules of ammonia via a reaction catalysed by urease-enzymes. This reaction happens very quickly (ie seconds/minutes). Unknown to most of us (as the paper says), human faeces contain large amounts of urease forming bacteria therefore mixing solids and liquids in a toilet start the ammonia forming reaction going. Ammonia and its derivatives are very strong green house gasses and we know ammonia is there from the smell of mixed toilet waste. Global warming here we come!

It is therefore very interesting that any toilet that separates the liquid from solid HAS to be far better for the environment firstly as it will SIGNIFICANTLY reduce ammonia formation from the urine and secondly, the urine's action as a fertiliser can be a benefit. As a chemist, I had not realised that.

Spreading it along the hedgerows looks like it is a big benefit to global warming in reducing ammonia emissions and promoting plant growth to extract more CO2 from the atmosphere.

We need to be careful with the idea that because it acts as a fertiliser it is a good thing to spread anywhere, yes I know this is not what you are saying, I agree to a degree that canal hedges should be a reasonably sensible place to dispose of it, but there are areas where the spreading of additional nitrogen can cause serious issues. I admit I am thinking of species rich habitats here which don't make up much towpath space.

 

Ok a couple of litres of pee is unlikely to cause an issue, it's more the blanket idea that because it acts like as fertiliser is is OK to spread anywhere because fertilizers are good.

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

We need to be careful with the idea that because it acts as a fertiliser it is a good thing to spread anywhere, yes I know this is not what you are saying, I agree to a degree that canal hedges should be a reasonably sensible place to dispose of it, but there are areas where the spreading of additional nitrogen can cause serious issues. I admit I am thinking of species rich habitats here which don't make up much towpath space.

 

Ok a couple of litres of pee is unlikely to cause an issue, it's more the blanket idea that because it acts like as fertiliser is is OK to spread anywhere because fertilizers are good.

True towpaths are rarely species rich but I can think of a number of places where nature reserves run up to towpath hedges and also species rich areas just over the hedge which aren't reserves.

 

As you say generally not likely to cause an issue unless a) the practice becomes extremely common and b) people don't look and consider what else is in the environment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Jerra said:

As you say generally not likely to cause an issue unless a) the practice becomes extremely common and b) people don't look and consider what else is in the environment.

 

It might make you quite unpopular on urban moorings though ...

  • Greenie 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Jerra said:

True towpaths are rarely species rich but I can think of a number of places where nature reserves run up to towpath hedges and also species rich areas just over the hedge which aren't reserves.

 

As you say generally not likely to cause an issue unless a) the practice becomes extremely common and b) people don't look and consider what else is in the environment.

I agree with all of that.

9 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

It might make you quite unpopular on urban moorings though ...

And if course that :)

 

I could also see an issue with popular countryside moorings as well, certainly if compost bogs become popular, a certain urinal wiff would be off putting 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

I agree with all of that.

And if course that :)

 

I could also see an issue with popular countryside moorings as well, certainly if compost bogs become popular, a certain urinal wiff would be off putting 

Like many a rural lay-by.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Dr Bob said:

That is a really interesting document!

To me it says a number of things:

  1. Urine is a very useful fertiliser and we should use it as a fertiliser if we can

  2.  

Always good to pee on the compost heap, ask Bob Flowerdew https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/apr/30/uk.waste#:~:text=The Conservative Party chairman is,heaps to help the environment.&text=Bob Flowerdew%2C of the Gardeners,which is a rich fertiliser.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

I agree with all of that.

And if course that :)

 

I could also see an issue with popular countryside moorings as well, certainly if compost bogs become popular, a certain urinal wiff would be off putting 

They were around 32 years ago when I moved aboard and for years before, there are plenty of reasons they are still as rare as rocking horse droppings ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Dr Bob said:

That is a really interesting document!

To me it says a number of things:

  1. Urine is a very useful fertiliser and we should use it as a fertiliser if we can

  2. The main problem is that it contains too much water (so the Nitrogen content is too low) so it is not commercially viable

  3. If it could be reduced in water content then it could replace a lot of man made alternatives

so nothing about it being 'bad' to spread on the land. That to me is quite significant.

 

BUT, the main bulk of the paper then goes on to discuss the chemistry of urine which is even more interesting.

Left to it's own devices, a molecule of urea (the active component in urine) will react to hydrocarbonic acid and two molecules of ammonia via a reaction catalysed by urease-enzymes. This reaction happens very quickly (ie seconds/minutes). Unknown to most of us (as the paper says), human faeces contain large amounts of urease forming bacteria therefore mixing solids and liquids in a toilet start the ammonia forming reaction going. Ammonia and its derivatives are very strong green house gasses and we know ammonia is there from the smell of mixed toilet waste. Global warming here we come!

It is therefore very interesting that any toilet that separates the liquid from solid HAS to be far better for the environment firstly as it will SIGNIFICANTLY reduce ammonia formation from the urine and secondly, the urine's action as a fertiliser can be a benefit. As a chemist, I had not realised that.

Spreading it along the hedgerows looks like it is a big benefit to global warming in reducing ammonia emissions and promoting plant growth to extract more CO2 from the atmosphere.

So we are the good guys and the cassette and tank people arebad very bad people? it gets better and better Bob

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I've been cmooring near to an Elsan for three months,  and have not had to poop inside since, but the cat has decided not to use outdoor facilities, so I am no better off!

Are you pooing straight into the elsan point then at night when no one is looking

3 minutes ago, peterboat said:

So we are the good guys and the cassette and tank people arebad very bad people? it gets better and better Bob

Especially when they put formaldehyde in with it as well

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Didn't you have to move off by 16th December at the latest (2 weeks after the last lockdown ended) like the rest of us had to?

Of course not, she is a CMoorer now, ideal location water, toilets and shop close whats not to like? However after 8 tonight I suspect she will be ok for a while

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Didn't you have to move off by 16th December at the latest (2 weeks after the last lockdown ended) like the rest of us had to?

Yes, of course, but only got 200metres, when I broke down!

Boat only goes in reverse, I understand this indicates clutch problem  PRM 120

Edited by LadyG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, peterboat said:

Of course not, she is a CMoorer now, ideal location water, toilets and shop close whats not to like? However after 8 tonight I suspect she will be ok for a while

Not at all, I've been in Tier 4 since Dec 20, which is not just "stay in your village", ie Tier 3, but also "stay at home" Tier4

Not to mention, notification from the next , onward, Sanitary Station "please don't come here, we have no moorings"

I thought about shufflling for that four day twixt no lockdown and full lockdown, but my attenpt to cruise/shuffle ended in mechanical failure, so reversed back to nearby services.

I draw the line at pooping in the cat litter.

There is no shop, but I have a postcode delivery.

I am isolating myself, being ancient and asthmatic, but I would prefer to potter along the inland waterways, in fact I'd prefer to be aged  27 again, and have a different life.......... iI'm not bitter .....

Edited by LadyG
  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Yes, of course, but only got 200metres, when I broke down!

 

That sounds like a previous poster on this forum (before he was banned)

 

The story was something like he was waiting for a very special left handed thuster widgit that could only be made by the chief rabbi on top of a mountain in outer Mongolia when the moon appeared at midday on midsummer.

 

He managed to string C&RT along for 'years' before he was forced to take a mooring.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

That sounds like a previous poster on this forum (before he was banned)

 

The story was something like he was waiting for a very special left handed thuster widgit that could only be made by the chief rabbi on top of a mountain in outer Mongolia when the moon appeared at midday on midsummer.

 

He managed to string C&RT along for 'years' before he was forced to take a mooring.

iirc it was actualy the " Reciprocating waffle sprocket " that was knackered?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Eh Up" would someone like to come and replace my Morse B98 control cables, set the adjustment, then , if the PRM 120 is faulty, replace the cone clutch. I don't have a new controller or any control links,not even a split pin.

No worries, but could you change the ATF while upside down, and you might as well change fuel filter, I can supply spin on filters. :)

jo

4 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

I thought you were up on the Chesterfield Canal, not in London and the south east?

I think that is in T4 too.....

I can't keep up: I am in a bubble wIth my brother, who is my 'support', I suppose, he is awaiting his vaccination.

If you want to visit, please bring red diesel , bread and whisky.

Edited by LadyG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.