Claims

1. A toilet accessory configured for use with a toilet having a toilet bowl, the toilet accessory comprising a retractable nozzle with a distal portion and a surface, said retractable nozzle being configured to assume an extended position in which said distal portion of said nozzle extending into said toilet bowl when said toilet accessory is in place on said toilet, said toilet accessory having a source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation configured to direct electromagnetic radiation towards said nozzle effective to sterilize said surface of said nozzle.

2. The toilet accessory of claim 1, wherein said source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation comprises a source of ultraviolet radiation.

3. The toilet accessory of claim 2, wherein said ultraviolet radiation comprises ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength of between about 200 nm and about 310 nm.

4. The toilet accessory of claim 1, said nozzle further being configured to assume a retracted position with said distal portion of said nozzle not disposed within said toilet bowl, wherein said source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation is configured to direct electromagnetic radiation towards said nozzle when said nozzle is in said retracted position.

5. The toilet accessory of claim 1, wherein said source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation is configured to direct electromagnetic radiation towards said nozzle when said nozzle is in said extended position.

6. The toilet accessory of claim 1, further comprising a toilet seat with a surface wherein said source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation is configured to direct germicidal electromagnetic radiation effective to sterilize said surfaces of said seat and said nozzle.

7. The toilet accessory of claim 6, said nozzle further being configured to assume a retracted position with said distal portion of said nozzle not being disposed within the toilet bowl, wherein said source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation is configured to direct germicidal electromagnetic radiation towards said nozzle when said nozzle is in said retracted position.

8. The toilet accessory of claim 6, wherein said source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation is configured to direct germicidal electromagnetic radiation towards said nozzle when said nozzle is in said extended position.

9. A toilet accessory having a retractable nozzle with a surface, said retractable nozzle being configured to assume an extended position and being configured to assume a retracted position, and comprising germicidal electromagnetic radiation sanitization means configured to direct germicidal electromagnetic radiation towards said nozzle surface effective to sanitize said nozzle surface.

10. The toilet accessory of claim 9, further having a seat with a surface, wherein said germicidal electromagnetic radiation sanitization means is effective to direct germicidal electromagnetic radiation towards said seat surface and said nozzle surface effective to sanitize said toilet seat surface and said nozzle surface.

11. The toilet accessory of claim 9, wherein said sanitization means comprises germicidal electromagnetic radiation sterilization means configured to direct germicidal electromagnetic radiation towards said nozzle surface effective to sterilize said nozzle surface.

12. The toilet accessory of claim 10, wherein said sanitization means comprises germicidal electromagnetic radiation sterilization means configured to direct germicidal electromagnetic radiation towards said nozzle surface effective to sterilize said nozzle surface and said seat surface.

13. A system for providing personal waste disposal in connection with a toilet and an external sewage system, comprising: a toilet accessory having a nozzle with a surface, and a source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation configured to irradiate said surface with germicidal electromagnetic radiation; a fluid inlet; a fluid outlet; and a source or conduit of electrical power effective to provide electrical power for said source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation.

14. A method of sanitizing a surface of at least a portion of a toilet accessory having a nozzle with a surface, and a source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation, said toilet accessory configured for use with a toilet bowl, the method comprising: irradiating said surface of at least a portion of a surface of said nozzle with germicidal electromagnetic radiation.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said sanitizing comprises sterilizing said nozzle surface, and said step of irradiating said nozzle surface with germicidal electromagnetic radiation comprises irradiating said nozzle surface with a sterilizing dose of germicidal electromagnetic radiation effective to kill more than half the microorganisms present on said surface.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said germicidal electromagnetic radiation comprises ultraviolet radiation.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said ultraviolet radiation comprises ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength of between about 200 nm and about 310 nm.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said toilet accessory further comprises a toilet seat with a surface, and said irradiating step further comprises irradiating a portion of the surface of said toilet seat.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said nozzle comprises a retractable nozzle with a distal portion, and said irradiated portion of said toilet accessory comprises a distal portion of said retractable nozzle.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said toilet accessory further comprises a receptacle configured to receive said retractable nozzle and having a source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation configured to provide germicidal electromagnetic radiation within said receptacle, further comprising retracting said nozzle into the receptacle prior to irradiating the nozzle, effective to allow exposure of a surface of the nozzle to germicidal electromagnetic radiation within the receptacle.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising extending said retractable nozzle into a toilet bowl prior to irradiating the nozzle, effective to expose said nozzle to germicidal radiation from said source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said irradiated portion of said toilet accessory comprises portions of said retractable nozzle and portions of said toilet seat.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein said irradiating step comprises irradiating said surface of at least a portion of a toilet accessory for a period of time having a duration selected from the group of durations consisting of between about 1 second and about 5 hours; between about 15 seconds and about 1 hour; between about 30 seconds and about 30 minutes; and between about 1 minute and about 20 minutes.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein said irradiating step comprises irradiating at an intensity of between about 10 μwatts/cm² to about 1000 mwatts/cm^2.

25. A toilet accessory for use with a toilet bowl, said toilet accessory having a nozzle, a toilet seat and a toilet lid, said seat, nozzle, lid, and bowl having surfaces, said toilet accessory further comprising a source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation configured to direct germicidal electromagnetic radiation towards said nozzle effective to sanitize a nozzle surface.

26. The toilet accessory of claim 25, wherein said sanitization of a nozzle surface comprises sterilization of a nozzle surface.

27. The toilet accessory of claim 25, wherein said source of germicidal electromagnetic radiation is configured to direct germicidal electromagnetic radiation towards said nozzle and towards another surface effective to sanitize a nozzle surface and another surface.

28. The toilet accessory of claim 25, further comprising a sensor configured to detect the presence or absence of a user of said toilet accessory.

29. The toilet accessory of claim 25, further comprising a hinge having portions and a conduit, wherein said conduit passes through at least a portion of said hinge.

30. The toilet accessory of claim 29, wherein said conduit is configured to provide passage of a connection selected from the group of connections consisting of a power connection, a control connection, and a fluid connection.