Composting Options for Wilderness Management of Human Waste North Cascades National Park Service Complex

Prepared for: Skagit District
North Cascades National Park Service Complex
Contract Order No. PX9470-0095; Ref. No. K70172 (1/26/87)
(Final editing 3/88)

Skagit Composting Program - North Cascades National Park
Currently there are nine decomposition - composting bins in operation in the Skagit District of North Cascades National Park. The bins, all at subalpine sites, were placed in service in the backcountry over several years time, beginning in 1981 (Table 9). Originally designed to function as composting toilets, the inability to consistently reach thermophilic temperatures and assure pathogen destruction has led to use of the system for decomposition of human feces. The resulting reduction of the waste in both mass and volume presents a partially successful solution to the accumulation of human waste in popular backcountry areas. These bins regularly handle the equivalent of 2.000 visitor-nights and as unknown amount of day-use each year (Table 9). The bins in use can presently handle between 20 and 35 gallons of waste each year. Human waste has not been flown out of the backcountry since 1981--over 800 gallons of waste have been handled in the backcountry since that time.