Before you consider what type of emergency toilet to have in your van, think about where you could use a public toilet:
For those times when you are not able to get to a public restroom, then your portpot system needs to be available.
Urine Separation
The most important concept in van toilet facilities is urine separation. Don't mix poop and pee, always use a pee bottle. Get a widemouth plastic bottle from the trash, preferably one that no one would consider drinking from. Spray paint it (white, or any other color) so that no one would consider drinking from it and so you can't see what is inside. It does not have to be large, a liter is large enough. After use, dispose of the pee in a place where people are not likely to walk.
Plastic Bag/Pail Toilet
For those times when you are not able to make it to a public restroom, have a 3 gallon plastic pail ready, lined with trash bags. A large laundry detergent plastic bottle with the top cut off will also work. Kitchen size trash bags fit well, make sure you get opaque bags, not clear bags. Get a whole box of trash bags and put them all in the pail, one inside of the other. Strap a bungee cord around the top of the pail to hold the trash bags in place. Have a supply of twist ties nearby.
To use the pail toilet, pull one of the trash bags out from under the bungee cord. Squat over the pail, and throw any paper in the pail when you are finished. Remember to use the pee bottle, try to keep the contents of the trash bag dry. It may be more comfortable to have something on both sides of the pail to sit on. When finished, use a twist tie to close the trash bag, and dispose of it in a trash receptacle as soon as possible.
If you use public restrooms whenever possible, and a pee bottle when needed, then a box of trash bags for the pail toilet should last a long time.
skylark
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