I've had a composting toilet for fifteen years. How do you operate 'em? Well, you don't really operate them in the same since that you operate a flush toilet. You don't do anything after an "event". Once a day you need to toss a scoop of dry peat moss into the drum and turn it clockwise one revolution. Every few weeks you turn the drum counterclockwise which opens the little trap door thingie and dumps some of the stuff into the drying tray underneath. In another week or so, take the tray out and throw the finished compost onto your petunias. Human compost should not be used on vegetable gardens due to risk of disease from pathogens that might no be killed if the compost doesn't get hot enough.