[wigiv]

My company designed and built the first few prototypes for a startup, Throne Labs, who deploy prefab, off-grid, (semi-)publicly-accessible (you have to have their app) bathrooms.

Seems like they solved some core problems: finding suitable sites and partners, using semi-permanent modules that don't require [quite as] complicated/slow/expensive permitting and utility tie-ins, and some clever ways to get them re-stocked and cleaned regularly using gig labor (I always understood this to be the biggest challenge for offering public bathroom - labor cost of cleaning and resupply.)

They moved on to a higher-volume producer so I've been out of touch on their progress, but I thought it was a interesting solution in the face of what I learned to be outrageous expenditure - $300k, $500k(!) - on municipal bathrooms that quickly go defunct or get destroyed, and a lack of public restroom access during the pandemic.

During the project I learned a lot about how rideshare and package delivery companies just assume stops with restrooms are available on the routes (I'd love to hear what the actual company training/guidance says! It's easy to find stories about Amazon drivers peeing in bottles etc...)

I also gained a lot of empathy for people who have more frequent and urgent bathroom needs than my own - having trust in availability of facilities can make a world of difference!