Understanding the Standards: Separett Waterless Toilets & U.S. Regulations
Human sanitation is essential to both public health and environmental protection. In most regions, human waste must be safely contained and managed to prevent contamination of soil and water. This is where waterless and urine-diverting toilet systems, like those from Separett, provide an innovative and sustainable solution.
What Makes Separett Toilets Different
While many systems are often referred to as composting toilets, Separett toilets are officially classified as urine-diverting waterless toilets. They do not compost the waste inside the toilet itself. Instead, Separett’s design immediately separates liquids and solids at the source, keeping odors and bacteria under control and allowing each waste stream to be handled appropriately afterward.
This approach minimizes odor, prevents groundwater contamination, and ensures hygienic collection without the complexity of internal composting. It also makes Separett toilets especially well-suited for off-grid homes, cabins, and sustainable housing projects.
Why Urine-Diverting Toilets Fall Outside NSF/ANSI Standard 41
In the United States, NSF/ANSI Standard 41 defines performance and safety requirements for composting toilets—covering aspects like odor control, pathogen reduction, and compost stability. However, urine-diverting systems such as the Separett Villa and Separett Tiny fall outside the NSF-41 scope, since they are not designed to complete composting within the toilet unit.
Instead, Separett toilets collect and separate waste for controlled post-treatment, which fully aligns with international sanitation principles: isolating waste, protecting water resources, and maintaining safe hygiene.
Separett Villa Waste Container
Certified Electrical Safety and Product Quality
Although NSF-41 does not apply to urine-diverting toilets, Separett’s products are independently tested and certified for electrical and mechanical safety through Nemko North America.The Nemko Certificate No. NA202412021 covers the Separett Villa USA 9215, Separett Villa CA 9210, and Separett Tiny, verifying compliance with:
- CSA C22.2 No. 68-18 UPD 1: May 2019 – Canadian standard for motor-operated household appliances, ensuring safe design and electrical insulation.
- UL 1431 3rd Edition: 2011 – U.S. standard for personal-hygiene and small electrical appliances, confirming safety in operation and component integrity.
These certifications, performed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), validate that Separett toilets meet the rigorous safety standards required for use in North America.
In addition to independent testing, some U.S. states have individually reviewed Separett systems. For example, the State of Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has approved the Separett Villa and Separett Tiny for use within the state.
This approval means the products will be listed in Section 5.14 of Idaho’s Technical Guidance Manual (TGM) under Miscellaneous Wastewater Disposal Products after the next scheduled update. The DEQ confirmation highlights that Separett toilets meet Idaho’s sanitation and design standards for non-liquid systems, providing safe, compliant, and sustainable sanitation options for residents and off-grid homeowners.
Separett Nemko Certification Overview. Full Certification Available Here
Meeting the Core Principles of Sanitation
Regardless of certification category, Separett toilets are built around four universal sanitation rules:
- Human waste should never contact water.
- Waste should not touch soil directly.
- Hands must always be washed after toilet use.
- Waste must be treated safely before reuse or disposal.
By separating liquids and solids instantly, Separett systems maintain a dry environment, prevent contamination, and simplify the next steps of safe handling or composting.
Proven Scandinavian Design, Trusted Worldwide
Designed and manufactured in Sweden since 1976, Separett toilets combine Scandinavian simplicity with reliable engineering. Today, the Separett Villa and Separett Tiny are trusted across the World for their durability, cleanliness, and ease of installation.
Separett Villa in a Modern Bathroom in Sweden
In summary
Separett’s urine-diverting waterless toilets are not composting units, they are modern, hygienic, and certified systems that separate waste at the source. Backed by Nemko, UL, CSA, and state-level approvals such as in Idaho, Separett products represent the safest and most reliable approach to sustainable sanitation.