| After being granted government approval, waterless | | | | the deposits. The university's janitors may not have |
| urinals from Falcon have found more than 200,000 | | | | followed this procedure, but they cannot be blamed as |
| buyers and competitor companies have also cropped | | | | it is natural to assume that a waterless urinal may not |
| up. There is no disputing the environmental benefits of | | | | require flushing with water. |
| waterless urinals, but one thing is certain - issues can | | | | In other instances where Falcon's waterless urinals |
| arise if they are not maintained properly. | | | | missed the mark, Sacramento's EPA headquarters |
| University of Washington, Seattle conducted an | | | | reported clogged drain pipes, dirty bathrooms and a |
| experiment in 2007 to decide if they could go ahead | | | | bad smell. All the urinals here were removed in |
| with a mass purchase of Falcon's waterless urinals for | | | | February this year. Other establishments that have |
| the entire college. They took the help of water | | | | faced such problems and subsequently uninstalled their |
| conservation consultant Roger van Gelder to | | | | waterless urinals include O'Hare International Airport |
| determine if such urinals could work in their | | | | and Chicago City Hall. Chicago plumber Jim |
| environment. For the purpose of the study, Van | | | | Majerowicz says that the requirement to plumb water |
| Gelder asked that the existing drain pipes be replaced | | | | to these urinals is a good idea, as the building owner |
| with newer pipes to start afresh. Six months into the | | | | does not have to drain his wallet when he gets the |
| study, Van Gelder had bad news to report. After | | | | waterless urinals uninstalled. |
| opening the pipes, he discovered that some sort of oily | | | | But Falcon's waterless urinals have also found |
| liquid has started clogging the drain lines. It would be | | | | admirers in many facilities across the United States, |
| matter of days before the lines would get completely | | | | including Southern California's Temecula Valley School |
| blocked. | | | | District. Maintenance Operations Director at the facility |
| Another problem that Van Gelder found with Falcon's | | | | Gaylon Holland says that with good maintenance, the |
| waterless urinals was the plastic cartridges. They | | | | waterless urinals deliver first rate performance and |
| would get clogged faster than projected, in some | | | | save large quantities of water. The facility has installed |
| cases after just above 600 uses and subsequently | | | | more than 600 Falcon urinals and the janitorial staff is |
| had to be recycled or disposed off. The disposal of a | | | | sufficiently trained on how to maintain them. The Las |
| large quantity of plastic wasn't eco-friendly, ironic given | | | | Vegas Motor Speedway and Rose Bowl Stadium are |
| that the waterless urinal was inherently a green | | | | two other facilities where waterless urinals have |
| product. Besides the cartridges had to be replaced | | | | delivered satisfactory performance and continue to be |
| immediately or a mixture of sealant and urine would | | | | used. |
| get pooled and give out a bad stench. University of | | | | In the past four years, the number of waterless urinals |
| Washington has since then uninstalled all the waterless | | | | sold has doubled and sales continue to build up |
| urinals. | | | | strongly. James Krug is a happy man and |
| Falcon says that before putting a new cartridge, the | | | | concentrating his efforts on other revolutionary |
| urinal has to be flushed with hot water to get rid of all | | | | innovations in urinal technology. |