Research shows that during outside events, lines to the porta-potty are up to 34 times longer for women than men because there are 10 male urinals for every women’s toilet. Once they get to the front of the line, up to 80% of women end up squatting over the toilet seat anyway to avoid bacteria. Now there’s a solution to that problem, and it was created by two university students. Amber Probyn and Hazel McShane, who recently graduated from University of Bristol in the UK, designed a hands-free women’s urinal they named “Peequal” as their masters project. The women’s urinal is pizza-shaped, divided into six units, meaning more urinals can fit in small places on the grounds of outdoor events. Peequal streamlines the line, meaning those needing to use standard toilets can still have access to a lockable door, while others needing simply to urinate can get in and out within seconds. There’s no wasting time opening and closing doors and cleaning toilet seats, or laying toilet paper over the seat. The Peequal is semi-private, meaning others in the unit can’t see anything from the waist down. Probyn and McShane say they designed the shape of the toilet so it would suit various squat positions — low, high and wide — meaning the urinals are suitable for most people. The new urinal, which is folds for easy transportation, can be arranged in three different ways, it produces 98% less CO2 than other portable toilets, and it's made from 100% recyclable materials. Probyn and McShane won the top prize in the University of Bristol’s flagship enterprise contest for start-ups, winning £15,000 ($21,241).
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| Hazel McShane (left) and Amber Probyn |
