ASSOCIATIONINSIGHT
Portable Sanitation Association International News
BIWEEKLY EDITION MAY 26, 2021
Page 2 Continued on page 4
Improved Standards for Portable Sanitations in ISO Standard…continued from page 1
International Tourism Standard Brings Opportunity
In Europe a wide array of stakeholders recently began
creating new guidance related to travel in the post-pandemic
world. Although these revised parameters—begun in June
2020 and released last week—are recognized as an ISO
standard and will be used around the world, the United States
through ANSI did not participate in the development of the
document. Consequently, the PSAI could not contribute
directly to the work.
During the process of writing and voting on the new
document, the PSAI watched and cheered our allies across
the pond as they worked together to ensure the portable sanitation solutions the industry offers were fairly and
strategically represented in the final document. In the final result, industry leaders there made a significant positive
impact on this new global standard. Rather than allowing the codification of originally proposed language that
would have placed portable solutions at a significant disadvantage, their work ensures that our industry will be
able to contribute to positive public health in the years to come.
No Portable Restrooms Anywhere?
Designated "ISO/PAS 5643:2021 Tourism and related services—Requirements and guidelines to reduce the
spread of Covid-19
1
in the tourism industry, " much of the new tourism standard covers areas that are not of
particular significance to portable sanitation. But some sections are critical to the industry, including one that
addresses ancillary services and facilities for all subsectors covered in the document. The original proposed
language said flatly: "Chemical toilets should not be open to the public."
According to industry sources, this draft language may have originated in a Spanish document published in
June 2020 (UNE 0066-20) that pertained to portable restrooms on beaches. By the time it found its way into the
proposed ISO standard, it was included in this more general way, and it could have had wide-ranging implications
for nonsewered sanitation solutions in a wide array of applications globally.
Members of the portable sanitation community in Europe were understandably alarmed by this proposition. These
professionals know that lack of portable toilets creates its own massive health problems anywhere people gather
but don't have access to sewered facilities. So the European portable sanitation community determined they
would do what was necessary to get the language altered in the draft.
Changes Take Time and Effort
Changing a proposed ISO standard is complex. Only representatives of
participating national standards bodies can comment—which is why the PSAI's
hands were tied—and representatives must follow procedures set forth by ISO.
In this case, Sandra Giern, waste treatment, logistics and hazardous waste
management expert at the German association BDE, responded to the proposed
prohibition of portable toilets through the required ISO process as follows:
"It is not understandable why the use of chemical toilets is cancelled in
the sequence of requirements. The points formulated […] are understandable and can also be
implemented in combination with mobile toilets, so the general ban on these units is not justified.
1 Note that the term "Covid-19" is preferred by ISO at this time. Since the word is an acronym, most US style guides prefer the form
"COVID-19," and that is what the PSAI uses unless directly quoting a source using another form.
Sandra Giern
