The purpose of this Standard is to establish minimum materials, design and construction, and performance requirements for non-liquid saturated treatment systems. It is intended to protect public health and the environment as well as minimize nuisance factors. This Standard also specifies the minimum literature that manufacturers shall supply to authorized representatives and owners.

This Standard contains minimum requirements for treatment systems that do not utilize a liquid saturated media as a primary means of storing or treating human excreta or human excreta mixed with other organic household materials. It addresses treatment systems that treat both solid and liquid waste, as well as those that only treat solid waste. Management methods for the end products of these systems are not addressed by this Standard.

System components covered under other NSF or NSF/ANSI standards or criteria shall also comply with the requirements contained in those other standards. This Standard shall in no way restrict new system designs, provided such designs meet the minimum specifications described herein.