Some of the most basic camping toilets consist of a bucket or pail with a toilet seat on top. They are nonflushing, but even so some may wish to add a chemical for odor control. The most basic type of portable toilet is simply a seat on a wire base with a plastic bag hanging down. After use, the plastic bag is simply removed and disposed of in a designated area.
The Thetford Porta Potti is an example of a flushing portable chemical toilets. It and others like it are lightweight, compact and easy to transport. The Porta Potti is composed of two sections. The upper part consists of a detachable toilet seat and cover and the bottom part is a waste holding tank. The two sections are easy to detach for emptying. These flushing portable toilets also provide a level indicator which advises when the waste needs to be disposed of.
Caravans and motor homes generally come with built-in chemical toilets. These generally come with cassette holding tanks which can be emptied from outside of the caravan or motor home. Some also have holding tanks on wheels for easy disposal of waste. Some have swivel seats because of limited space. Some have battery-powered flushes or may be hooked up to the electric system at the campsite.
Chemicals in a disposable toilet hide bad odors and many kill bacteria while breaking down waste. Some parks stipulate that only environmentally friendly chemicals are allowed for disposal, while others accept all chemicals. These chemicals are placed in holding tanks and generally come in liquid or tablet form. Waste treated with chemicals should never be placed into the sewer system, but should be disposed of at the Chemical Disposal Point or CDP at the park.
