ASSOCIATIONINSIGHT
Portable Sanitation Association International News
BIWEEKLY EDITION MAY 26, 2021
Page 5
Improved Standards for Portable Sanitations in ISO Standard…continued from page 4
Continued on page 6
While not all of these suggestions were accepted, the experts involved in the creation of the new standard did
take heed of the larger message being carried by the portable sanitation industry: that not only would it be a
mistake to close portable facilities, these units—if properly cared for—could play an important role in helping to
prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases.
Finalization
In the end, portable restrooms are covered in two areas of the final
version of "ISO/PAS 5643:2021 Tourism and related services—
Requirements and guidelines to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in
the tourism industry," and both accept the need for clean, available
equipment for the public.
• Section 4.7 (e) Cleaning and Disinfection Requirements calls for
the following related to portable restrooms:
» A complete cleaning, disinfection and pumping of temporary
toilets at the beginning of the day.
» The equipment used for cleaning and disinfection [of the
toilets] is well cleaned and disinfected after each use.
» The daily cleanings and disinfections are documented.
• Section 6.2 Common toilet facilities (including portable toilets), dressing rooms and lockers lists several
requirements. The most notable are:
» The need for enough space for social distancing
» Provision of paper towels or hand dryers, and trash receptacles
that are "non-manually activated"
» Frequent refilling of consumables to prevent running out
» Good ventilation
» Daily cleaning and disinfection as a minimum
This section also recommends, but does not require, equipment operated
by foot pumps.
The voters from participating countries approved this language by
consensus in April, and the new standard was issued on May 18, 2021.
Next Steps and Implications
Documents from ISO, ANSI, or any other voluntary standard-setting organization do not have the force of law.
They are not binding. However, they are usually the foundation for many laws and best practices. The fact that
your phone cord is produced in a different place than your phone, and the parts of a computer are manufactured
in dozens of countries, yet all the parts work together, is the evidence that ISO standards are accepted and
adopted globally. If they weren't, each nation would only be able to use parts from their own country because the
specifications wouldn't match up.
Standards like ISO/PAS 5643:2021 Tourism and related services—Requirements and guidelines to reduce the
spread of Covid-19 in the tourism industry are a little different because they don't address something quite as
tangible as a manufactured good, but the principle is the same. The language in these standards finds its way into
national, state, and local ordinances, company policies, and community expectations.
