The War Over Waterless Urinals

LOS ANGELES—The commercialization of waterless urinals did not flow easily, and detractors tried to flush the concept, according to an article in Wired magazine. Around 1999, James Krug had the idea to make waterless urinals profitable by selling replaceable liquid sealant cartridges that eliminate the need for water in order to trap sewer gases. A plumbing union advocacy group cited public health concerns to oppose waterless urinals. Krug's company and plumbers challenged each other before local code authorities in a city-by-city war that went on for years. Read more