The G-Wave may appear to be Armal’s typical Wave portable restroom. But the new unit – a featured display at the 2015 Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport (WWETT) Show – fully embraces the phrase “environmentally friendly,” as it is constructed from 90 percent post-consumer recycled material. The G-Wave began with an idea from one of the company’s newest employees, president and COO Karl McMichael.

“I am relatively new to this industry, but when I started last August, one of my first questions was whether anyone was using recycled material for their portables,” says McMichael. “We couldn’t find any. I thought, ‘What the heck, let’s make this happen!’”

The gunmetal-gray injection-molded unit satisfies contractors seeking a greener product or for sale in countries that require use of recycled products. The unit comes with a solar light and adopts many features of the company’s long-standing Wave restroom, including smooth surfaces that are easy to wash. The assembly of the walls with overlapping systems means that the rivets can be concealed, making cleaning practical and safe, and the inside of the cabin refined and stylish. Armal gets the recycled material from KW Plastics in Troy, Alabama.

“I was familiar with the work that KW did in my previous line of work, and I knew they put out a good product,” says McMichael. “When it comes to portable restroom units that are durable and provide longevity, KW was able to provide a material that is just as effective as our traditional material.”

The unit includes a stable door with a heavy-duty spring coil and wind-resistant closure device. The unit’s curved corners and sturdy design enable easy gripping for placement and transport, according to Armal. Standard features include a urinal with drain cover and lodging for urinal blocks, and a three-roll tissue holder with built-in utility shelf. The waste tank holds 60 gallons. Options include a 7.5-gallon-capacity hand-wash sink, recirculating kit with foot pump, 13-gallon-capacity “Fresh Flush” kit with foot pump, a lift kit, hand sanitizer/gel soap dispenser, and a transport dolly.

McMichael sees the G-Wave as a tremendous marketing opportunity for operators, allowing companies to show a concern for the environment and their carbon footprint.

“Not only is the portable restroom company going to benefit, any organization renting these units is going to look good as well,” says McMichael. “There are really several layers to the marketing potential these provide.”

McMichael says his long-range goal is to make the G-Wave the company’s base model. He was enthused by the response it received at the WWETT Show, as Armal representatives discussed the marketing possibilities with many portable restroom operators and took orders on dozens of G-Wave units.

“To me, there’s no reason why units constructed out of recycled and repurposed material cannot become the industry norm at some point,” he says. “It’s part of a change in our approach to the industry. I consider putting out products that are environmentally friendly as the wave of the future.” 866/873-7796; www.armal.biz.