# Waste Chemicals



## 4ME (Sep 11, 2006)

I see a whole lot of choices for toilet chemicals out there.
Which ones work and which do not?

Dave,larry,Sluggo where are you?

Ed


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Everyone uses different ones depends on your preference
We use Odorlos and haven't had a problem with it

Don


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

HootBob said:


> Everyone uses different ones depends on your preference
> We use Odorlos and haven't had a problem with it
> 
> Don


X2 for Odorlos. I get the 5 lb. bucket of powder, works great and the 5 lb. bucket lasts a long time.


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

We've been using the blue toxic stuff. I like the little individual bottles, they make it easy...no measuring needed, just dump them in the head.

I was just reading about Odorlos though, I think I might give it a try next time out...I like the environmentally friendly reasons to start using it


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## old_tidefan (Nov 23, 2005)

skippershe said:


> We've been using the blue toxic stuff. I like the little individual bottles, they make it easy...no measuring needed, just dump them in the head.
> 
> We use this as well. The convenience of the individual bottles is really nice


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## HTQM (May 31, 2006)

To be honest, we're using the same as skippershe. I'm going to loon into the odorlos though, that sounds like a lot more fiscal cents







.

I haven't had an aroma problem with the WalMart blue stuff but I also started doing the ice/water softener/degergent trick that read about on here. No bad smell so far.

Dave


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

I use a Odorlos too, this is the best stuff you can use. DON'T use the BLUE stuff you are making dump stations across the country close. Here is some good reading Click

I think they should outlaw the blue stuff it is poision.


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

N7OQ said:


> I use a Odorlos too, this is the best stuff you can use. DON'T use the BLUE stuff you are making dump stations across the country close. Here is some good reading Click
> 
> I think they should outlaw the blue stuff it is poision.


I tried to access that article twice, and both times it locked up my computer


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

skippershe said:


> I use a Odorlos too, this is the best stuff you can use. DON'T use the BLUE stuff you are making dump stations across the country close. Here is some good reading Click
> 
> I think they should outlaw the blue stuff it is poision.


I tried to access that article twice, and both times it locked up my computer








[/quote]

Basically it was a review of the various chemicals used in holding tank treatment products. The article points out that formaldehyde products work by killing off bacteria, including the "good" ones that are needed for proper breakdown of solid wastes (without odor) either in septic tank systems or at the wastewater treatment plants that eventually have to deal with what is emptied into the RV dump stations. The article states that most of the products that tout themselves as not containing formaldehyde still work in the same way - by killing bacteria - and some of these products actually break down into formaldehyde when in contact with sewage. The Odorlos is different because it provides nitrates that the good bacteria are able to use to break down wastes without producing hydrogen sulfide, which is what makes that







smell none of us wants.

FWIW, I finally found the Odorlos on Camping Worlds' website.


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## hyewalt34 (May 9, 2004)

After trying everything, this is what I use: Happy Camper

*Check it out!*

Walter


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## Txcamper (Apr 3, 2006)

That was an interesting article. I will have to try the Odorlos, we have been using the Porta-Pak Tank Deoderize fomula that is in a foil bag. While the water-soluble packets dissolves instantly when dropped into the holding tank, we are not totally happy with the odor prevention in the hot summer.


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

skippershe said:


> I use a Odorlos too, this is the best stuff you can use. DON'T use the BLUE stuff you are making dump stations across the country close. Here is some good reading Click
> 
> I think they should outlaw the blue stuff it is poison.


I tried to access that article twice, and both times it locked up my computer








[/quote]

Sorry the link is a PDF file and you need a Adobe Acrobat reader to see it. Camping Fan did a good job condensing what it is saying. The article talks about how Oregon had to close down their dump stations at all the rest stops because to much of the blue stuff was being dumped into the stations. Oregon had a lot of info on the blue stuff and is trying to get everyone to stop using it.

I was also guilty of using the blue stuff and when it would start to stink I would just pour in more. Sense I have been using Odorlos I have not had a smell problem at first I could not see how this stuff could work but it really works good.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Little blue packages and then Calgon treatment after we dump the tanks...


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## rmsmith1208 (Nov 18, 2006)

i was wondering what everyone used. i bought some of the blue stuff this weekend and will start to use the odorlos after this is gone


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

Tried some oxy-somethingorother last year and I'm going to look for them again. They were semi-clear individual dissolving packets with orange powder inside. Environmental friendly, affordable, and did the job well enough.

I've tried 3 or 4 different things and my experience was they all worked pretty well for a couple of days and nothing worked much longer than that. One time we used the john on a lunch stop on the way home and I thought I'd just throw some chemicals in there and catch it when I dumped on the next trip a couple weeks later. BAD IDEA.


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## Reverie (Aug 9, 2004)

We camp primarily at an older campground that uses a septic Dump Station. I have used the blue stuff for a couple of years. Last year the campground had to have the system dug up and repaired. I read about the hard the formaldahyde stuff inflicts and passed it on to the staff. They told me they didn't think it was a big deal and they only had to dig up the septic every few years.

I think they missed the point...

Reverie


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## Sluggo54 (Jun 15, 2005)

N7OQ said:


> I use a Odorlos too, this is the best stuff you can use. DON'T use the BLUE stuff you are making dump stations across the country close. Here is some good reading Click
> 
> I think they should outlaw the blue stuff it is poision.


A week or two ago a lady died from drinking too much water....

This guy needs to go back to pharmacy (but let me know where he works), or stay retired. He doesnâ€™t know poop about wastewater treatment. His attention to detail is illustrated early on: â€œWhat we humans put into the holding tank in solid form contains friendly bacteria known as coliforms.â€

Heâ€™s fulla beans right there. Eschericia coli 0157 is one of those bacteria, and no school child would call it â€œfriendlyâ€.

â€œThe black holding tanks in RVâ€™s can be thought of as small septic tanks where the breakdown process beginsâ€¦â€ Wrong. The holding tank is just that, no more. No significant anaerobic (septic) treatment is going to occur there unless you leave it with contents without dumping it for a period of 7-10 days.

â€œDuring the breakdown process in the holding tanks and sewage treatment plant, it is important to keep the bacteria supplied with oxygenâ€¦â€ Make up your mind. Septic systems are anaerobic, not aerobic.

â€œWaste treatment plants monitor the oxygen content and the goal is to maintain the oxygen content between three and five parts per million. Above five parts per million, the bacteria begin to dieâ€¦â€ Total BS.

â€œAt the end of the holding tank hose is the septic system.â€ Maybe â€" or maybe itâ€™s a sewer system.

There is much half truth in here, and a lot of non-truth, and essentially no logic trail.

I will agree that *ehydes are not the way to go. They are effective at controlling odor, and I frankly donâ€™t know if the others are or not. They all came along after I lost my sense of smell (I wouldnâ€™t know if a ticked-off skunk was in my pocket). They arenâ€™t good for septic systems. Ok, this line should have been my first: The terms septic system and wastewater treatment system are not necessarily synonymous. A septic system IS a wastewater treatment system, but not all wastewater treatment systems are septic systems. For the blue chemicals to do any harm to a municipal wastewater treatment system would require a lot of the chemicals, or it would have to be a very small system.

I use two cups of twenty mule team boraxo, and a cap of whatever laundry detergent is on hand. Thatâ€™s all, folks. Nothing else needed, other than to follow the advice to use adequate water, to avoid building the infamous Brown Pyramid.

Sluggo, water, wastewater, collection systems, laboratory licensed operator.


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## h2oman (Nov 17, 2005)

Actually outside of e-coli most all coliforms are beneficial and friendly. The live in your intestines and help digest your food. There are billions of them and they are naturally occuring. And, whereas regular septic tanks may be anaerobic the breakdown of solids in the black tank does help keep septic from having to be cleaned as often and regular sewer lines from surcharging. Futhermore, formaldehydes will leach into the soil trough leach fields on septic systems and infiltrate grounwater aquifers. The same is ture of salt precipitates which is why it is also a bad idea to use "Calgon" or other softening agents in the black tank. I do like the idea of detergent though. One with no additives just pure soap is probably going to be the one thing that is least harmful with only phosphates and possibly MBAS as by-products.

John


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

> Sluggo54 Today, 03:24 AM Post #17
> 
> This guy needs to go back to pharmacy (but let me know where he works), or stay retired. He doesnâ€™t know poop about wastewater treatment. His attention to detail is illustrated early on: â€œWhat we humans put into the holding tank in solid form contains friendly bacteria known as coliforms.â€
> 
> Heâ€™s fulla beans right there. Eschericia coli 0157 is one of those bacteria, and no school child would call it â€œfriendlyâ€.





> h2oman Posted Today, 02:34 PM
> Actually outside of e-coli most all coliforms are beneficial and friendly.


E. coli 0157 is a specific strain of E. coli that is "pathogenic" and causes serious illness. However, most E. coli are not the pathogenic strain, and would actually be considered to be normal coliforms.


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## Sluggo54 (Jun 15, 2005)

h2oman said:


> E. coli 0157 is a specific strain of E. coli that is "pathogenic" and causes serious illness. However, most E. coli are not the pathogenic strain, and would actually be considered to be normal coliforms.


He didn't say "most" - and there are other coliforms that are harmful. For that matter, e.coli in general are "normal". The grimmer forms of gastroenteritis often occur because the critters that keep some of the harmful bacteria numbers controlled, have themselves been murdered by an inappropriate dosage of antibiotics.

For related reading, google "milwaukee" and "shigella". You will buy more beer and drink less water!









Sluggo


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