I'm pretty sure that the P.E.T.T. brand of disposable bags has the very
chemical you talk of. I have a batch of them, but as mentioned, I rarely
even take along my reliance potti anymore. I think you're right that porta
potty is a registered trademark, just as Formica is to plastic laminate.
During my bathroom remodel, I used the reliance potti, and ended up adding
steer urine absorber which presumably is just limestone--cheap!  Baking soda
seem to work okay, but it was still some pretty foul smelling stuff after a
day or two. I would think potti's like the Thetford actually contain the
odors, or so I'm told. I have no direct experience though. Lucky you, a
Christmas present of poo powder. Boy, the poo powder would really hit the
fan if I ever gave my significant other a gift like that for Christmas!

Best,

Troy

----- Original Message -----
From: <mcneely4@cox.net>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>; "Troy" <colorworks@GCI.NET>
Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2013 1:45 PM
Subject: Re: [VANAGON] DIY Westy chuck box

> ---- Troy <colorworks@GCI.NET> wrote:
>> I do not have much experience with the various brands of potti's out
>> there, but I assume something like the thetford may actually be >odor
>> free?  The whole idea of hualing around human waste, well.. let's just
>> say it doesn't exactly appeal to me.
>
> For odor free porta potti (isn't that actually a trade mark, rather than a
> generic?  Oh well), the best thing I have found is a bucket, biodegradable
> plastic bags, Poo Powder (registered trademark), and something like rice
> hulls or excelsior to go with the Poo Powder.  Poo Powder is
> Polyacrylamide with some deodorizing additives, which forms a gel when it
> absorbs liquid.  The resultant material when it interacts with human waste
> is odor free, semi-solid, and the bag is legal to dispose of in public
> solid waste, or can be buried if in the wilderness.  Polyacrylamide is the
> same stuff that is in disposable diapers.  However, in the case of Poo
> Powder, the material interacts directly with both waste types and renders
> them relatively inoffensive.
>
> I do dispose of the bag as soon as possible.  I have yet to learn if the
> Forest Service and NPS are ok with the bag going into a vault toilet, but
> even though the bag is biodegradable, I suspect not because it doesn't
> degrade immediately, and might clog the vacuum they use to empty the
> toilet.
>
> Google Poo Powder, you will find it for sale.  My christmas present a
> couple of years ago was the largest sized tub sold retail.
>
> David McNeely