Mobile Toilets in Cities

Mobile toilets in cities are public facilities that can be moved as a whole and set up at fixed or temporary locations. They feature flexible deployment, environmental protection, energy conservation, and intelligent management, primarily used to compensate for the insufficient number or layout flaws of fixed public toilets.

I. Basic Composition and Classification

Mobile toilets consist of fecal sewage storage tanks (or disposal units), floor slabs, sanitary fixtures, walls, washing equipment, water tanks, roofs, and mobile devices. They can be classified in various ways:

• By structural form: They are divided into single-unit structures (independent units) and composite structures (multi-unit combinations);
• By mobility method: They include lifting/handling types (requiring mechanical assistance) and powered/trailer types (capable of self-movement or being towed by vehicles);
• By sewage treatment method: They cover flush types (requiring connection to water supply and drainage pipes), waterless suction types (relying on vacuum suction), recirculating flush types (with sewage purification and reuse), and dry packing types (with fecal collection and centralized treatment).

II. Environmental Protection and Intelligent Technologies

Some mobile toilets adopt environmental protection technologies to reduce resource consumption:

• Waterless flush types: They achieve waterless operation through technologies such as foam sealing and microbial degradation, suitable for water-scarce areas;
• Water-saving flush types: They incorporate rainwater collection and filtration systems, as well as hand-washing water reuse for toilet flushing, to reduce water consumption;
• Intelligent management: They are equipped with a bottom-level PLC data acquisition system, 40-inch LED stall monitors, and 4G remote monitoring modules, supporting remote operation of lighting and flushing systems via a mobile app. For example, tech-savvy smart mobile public toilets can achieve zero-contact intelligent sensing water outlet and automatic flushing throughout the process, and display usage status through a visual IoT large screen.

III. Application Scenarios and Planning Considerations

Mobile toilets are suitable for densely populated or temporarily needed locations such as stations, docks, tourist attractions, newly built residential areas, large construction sites, and squares. Their planning should adhere to the following principles:

• Placement location: Priority should be given to public places such as squares, both sides of main traffic roads, parks, and markets, ensuring they are prominently located, easy to find, and facilitate the discharge of feces into the urban drainage system;
• Stall ratio: The ratio of male to female stalls (seated or squatting) should be 1:1 or 3:2. Each squatting stall should measure 1.00–1.20m × 0.85m–1.20m, and each urinal stall should measure 0.70m (depth) × 0.65m (width);
• Aisle design: For single-row stalls with exterior doors, the aisle width should be 1.30m; for double-row stalls, it should be 1.50m; and for aisles without doors, it should be 1.20–1.50m;
• Supporting facilities: Each male and female toilet should have at least one hand-washing basin, with additional basins considered for more than 10 stalls. Each stall should be equipped with a sturdy hook for hanging items, and clear Chinese signs should be placed at entrances and exits.

IV. Core Advantages

Mobile toilets are movable, combinable, and easy to transport, enabling rapid response to temporary needs or supplementing the shortage of fixed public toilets. They can be reused repeatedly, effectively alleviating the contradiction between the number and layout of urban public toilets.