Humanure: Chicago's Fecal Fad

Dry composting toilets are all the rage these days, and Chicago is no exception. In fact, a group of West Side poop savers are at the forefront of the humanure movement (and they have a blog).

In October, GOOD magazine ran a short piece detailing the practice in Chicago. Led by urban gardener Nance Klehm, a group of 22 like-minded crappers deposit their waste into "dry toilets," or buckets of sawdust. Klehm organizes regular pickups, and takes the waste "to a secret location to avoid prosecution for violating waste disposal and storage ordinances," according to a recent Planet Green article.

Should Klehm's humble pile be deemed hazardous waste, or is it just a case of fecophobia? According to a statement on Klehm's website, not only is it safe, but it will help "prevent total systems collapse." Klehm also tests the stuff regularly for E. coli.