Travel Kit Must-Have: Emergency Urine Bag

I’m one of those few people in the world who tends to pee a lot when travelling (like literally every 30 minutes interval). This is the primary reason why I hate long road trips for fear of getting stuck in traffic jams (which is so common in the Philippines) and then suddenly felt the need to pee. And no, peeing in a plastic bottle is not an option for me since that would be challenging to execute without causing spillage. The unavailability of CLEAN public toilets also adds to my long list of travel anxieties.

Luckily, there is such thing as emergency urine bag (pee bag) that works as a portable toilet that you can bring along with you when you travel. Basically, a travel urine bag is a plastic pouch capable of holding 500ml-700ml of urine. What makes it special is that each urine bag contains a super water-absorbing polymer called sodium polyacrylate (the same absorbent powder used in diapers) that instantly turns any liquid into gel in less than a minute. This ensures that there will be no accidental leakage from the pouch until its disposal since the urine has solidified into a gel. It can also somehow reduce the urine odor stored in the pee bag.

Emergency urine bags are ideal for any outdoor activities where the availability of public toilets is limited, such as during:

• Outdoor camping or hiking
• Long distance travel (especially in high traffic areas)
• Travelling to remote rural areas

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Unfortunately, the sodium polyacrylate inside each urine bag is not considered biodegradable (it is not easily broken down by natural processes). That’s why be mindful that you will use this product ONLY in scenarios where you can no longer hold your pee and clean public toilets are nowhere in sight.  Also, it’s important not to flush the solidified (gelled) urine down the drain as it could clog the pipes.

Are there any eco-friendly alternatives to sodium polyacrylate-based urine bags? At the time of this writing, I can’t find any. However, developing a disposable urine bag using biodegradable materials is an interesting green business idea that I’m sure most eco-minded entrepreneurs would love to work on in the near future.

WHERE TO BUY

*** Price indicated at the time of this writing ***

Jingle Bag Disposable Urine Pouch

• Php 59 per pack
• Shopee PH

Jiemu Mini W.C.

• Php 125 / 4 pieces in a pack
• Shopee PH

Orange and Peach Basics Disposable Pee Bags

• Php 289 / 4 pieces
• This one is designed for travelling toddlers and kids
• Shopee PH

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and purchase the products, I’ll receive some commission.