Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1335877
ASSOCIATIONINSIGHT Portable Sanitation Association International News BIWEEKLY EDITION FEBRUARY 3, 2021 Page 5 PSAI's 50th Anniversary—A Short History of Deodorizers…continued from page 4 Removing the complexity of the various chemical components of deodorizers and emphasizing the effectiveness of these products eliminated any lingering doubts that operators may have had about continuing to mix their own solutions. Bill Reynolds shares that in the early 1990s, his father was also briefly in the deodorizer business. "Dad—in Ohio —bought a deodorizer company, Checkmate, from a gentleman named Bill Bailey from Texas. It was another of Dad's experiments in our industry which he kept going for several years." David Roncadori explains that, "Deodorizer tablets were introduced in the 1990s as another option for operators. Solid tablets led to better portion control as well as eliminated spillage which resulted in further waste of product." Many operators began to use tablets for units at special events for speed in charging the units as well as keeping the entire event area free of any blue liquid on the ground. Further, in 1997, Walex developed water- soluble drop-in packs for deodorizing restroom holding tanks—yet another advancement in this product line. Deodorizers Today As the portable restroom industry entered the 2000s, non-formaldehyde products continued to replace formaldehyde products for many of the reasons listed above. As of 2020, it is estimated that formaldehyde deodorizers comprise only 5–10 percent of the marketplace. Portion control is now the major theme in this industry segment. By controlling the exact amounts of deodorizer used in each unit during each service, the customer is guaranteed consistent service standards while the operator is better able to control product cost through less waste. Regardless of the manufacturer and regardless of liquid or tablet form, deodorizers today have evolved to now contain four basic ingredients with which we should be familiar: 1. Biocides—materials that hinder the growth of odor-producing gram-positive bacteria. These bacteria produce unpleasant odors, and biocides prevent these cells from multiplying. 2. Blue dye—hides the waste and debris that lies below the surface of the water in the portable toilet. 3. Fragrance—covers lingering odors inside the unit. 4. Surfactant—allows fragrance to be dissolved in water to create a homogeneous mixture. As for today, Deborah McDonald with Safe T Fresh Deodorizers states that there are, "Continuing [changes to] domestic and international regulations over wastewater treatment. 'Good' bacteria are needed as part of the wastewater treatment process, and deodorizers now ideally need to target only the 'bad' bacteria." She states, "California's Prop 69 has made it very difficult for portable restroom operators to continue to use traditional deodorizers." Consequently, Safe T Fresh has developed "Eco Blue" to meet requirements, and other manufacturers are sure to do the same. Deborah concludes, "We can expect environmental regulation changes to continue to drive our industry to find new and innovative ways to keep portable toilets clean and odor free." As you have read so far, there's nothing new about that. The deodorizer segment has been evolving all along. As with all aspects of the portable sanitation industry, innovation and dedication in the development of deodorizers has led to a cleaner, more sanitary, and more environmentally friendly world. Thank you to all of the contributors to this story as well as to my good friend, Steve Finley of Armal, for his support and suggestions. v Deborah McDonald Bill Reynolds