Toilet solution for freedom campers?
A Wanaka mother-of-three has everyone’s butt covered.
Pip Eckhoff, sick of finding human waste and toilet paper around the region, has found a solution for people getting ‘‘caught short’’.
She has launched a company, Caught Short, and gone to market with a series of portable and disposable toilet products.
‘‘I love mountain biking around trails around in the area. I hate coming across someone else’s business and decided I wanted to be part of a solution. I don’t think anyone wants to leave waste behind but I believe nearly everyone will be able to recall a time when they or someone they know was caught short and how unpleasant it is. I feel that putting in more toilets may help but it won’t necessarily solve this problem.’’
She started researching alternative toilet options and started to see some potential for a New Zealand product.
‘‘When I looked at the options most were impractical, expensive and did not have a reliable way to dispose of the waste – so I decided to make my own . . . At Caught Short we want to provide options so that everyone is able to explore the outdoors and leave no trace freedom campers, hikers, families on a road trip, hunters, anglers – whatever your style is, you can now explore with freedom and leave nothing behind but footprints.
‘‘It is important that our communities that call these places home are happy to host local and overseas visitors. So our products are simple, clean, portable, practical, smell free and disposable in a rubbish bin. I believe that as Kiwis and travellers we are responsible for keeping New Zealand waste free. One of the things that is really important for me is that I provide a complete solution.’’
She came up with some key features for a design: Portable, light-weight, affordable, simple to use, toilet paper included, hand cleaning included and easy to dispose of. She came up with a cardboard frame and bag system that ticked all the boxes.
The next key feature was the was a bag system where a waste bag fitted over the toilet frame, she said.
‘‘Before doing business, a powder sachet goes in the bag that absorbs the liquid, reduces odour and the powder carries special enzymes that digests the waste. Each package includes toilet paper and an antibacterial hand wipe. When finished the waste bag is then placed in a sealable foil bag. Once you seal that tightly you have a smell proof and leak proof bag you can take away with you and put in a rubbish bin.’’
A smaller product was the ‘‘pocket toilet’’ which was a bag based device perfect for day trips and adventures. It was compact but included everything needed for a toilet stop.
She also designed an emergency toilet kit for use at home over an existing toilet.
‘‘Quite often the first thing knocked out in an emergency – like the Roxburgh flooding, or an earthquake – can be the toilet systems. The kit is the same bag system but can be used over your home toilet and can be safely and hygienically disposed of until services are back on.’’
She had also designed a pop-up tent for privacy.
‘‘I want to inspire a respect for our environment and the people in it. I feel there are some pretty upset people out there that are affected by this issue – and rightly so.
‘‘There is no excuse now for people to getting caught short. I hope we can break down some of the barriers about talking about toileting – we all do it every day – and now I am proud to be able to provide a solution that puts some dignity back into an otherwise difficult conversation. We use our kit with our family all the time ourselves. The best bit for me is there is no cleaning and I go home knowing I’ve left nothing behind.’’