Summary

• Almost all standard urinals can be converted to waterless, whether the urinals are newly purchased or were installed many years ago.
• The fitting process is straightforward but requires care and diligence.
• The components can be purchased from Gentworks for fitting by the on-site maintenance team or by a local plumbing firm.
• After 16 years of availability, there are hundreds of sites with thousands of urinals in the UK using Gentworks retrofit waterless urinal systems.

How they work

• The replaceable cartridge contains a chemical block which dispenses selected strains of harmless microbial spores together with cleaning agents
• Urine touches the block and carries the spores into the waste pipe. The spores are activated by the urine and become live micro-organisms (microbes).
• The microbes create enzymes to break down the urine so that they can 'feed' on the contents.
• 'Feeding' causes the microbes to multiply creating an environment that breaks down urine and is hostile to bacteria that cause the unpleasant odours.
• The trap of the urinal bowl becomes an odourless fluid seal, preventing smells from the drains entering the washroom.

Implementation          (click here for full instructions)

• If converting urinals that are currently using water, then cap the water supply to the pipes supplying the urinals, then drain the cistern and water pipes to comply with legionella regulations.
• If urinals have been used, then clear the urinal waste pipes by jetting or mechanically rodding through to get off to a clean start.
• Replace the urinal waste outlet with the one provided.
• If trap or u-bend has been heavily used, replacement is recommended.
• Check for leaks and tighten as necessary.
• Insert the waterless urinal cartridge.

Maintenance and Cleaning          (click here for full instructions)

• Cleaning should be easier because there is no limescale on the surface of the urinal deposited by flushing.
• Do not use cleaning chemicals that contain bleach, acids or heavy alkalis because these will inhibit or destroy the micro-organisms on which the system depends.
• For cleaning, use the recommended Bactericidal Cleaner in a 10% solution. Spray and wipe as normal.
• VERY IMPORTANT: Once per week, carry out the recommended dosing/sluicing  procedure with 10% solution of Bactericidal Cleaner, preferably in warm water. Exceptionally busy washrooms may require this procedure twice weekly to prevent blockages from hair and other debris that inevitably enter the waste pipes.
• Approximately every 3 months, replace the cartridge.

Cartridge Options          (click here for more details)

• Aquafree (Model A): The most popular choice of cartridge for sites intending to maintain the converted urinals themselves
• Biodegradable (Model C): A fully biodegradable cartridge with reduced impact on landfill after disposal
• Spectrum (Model S): A variant of the Aquafree cartridge specifically designed to fit the drain of the problematic Twyford Spectrum urinal bowl.