Scientists use tech to track toilet breaks to keep Antarctica clean

By Lauren Beavis

British scientists in the Antarctic are using new technology to track where they go to the toilet - to help keep it clean.

The British Antarctic Survey team is using vehicle tracking and colored dials on its snowmobiles to monitor when and where they have toilet breaks.

During long trips, BAS scientists sometimes use makeshift toilets like a bucket in the snow with a wooden seat or inside a toilet tent.

It is said to be 'not the comfortable experience in subzero temperatures'.

For proper disposal the collected waste is transported back to the research station.

Now BAS is using vehicle tracking technology from Canadian telematics firm Geotab to map where field camps are stopping for comfort breaks.

Different colored switches have been added to vehicles such as ‘red’ for distress beacon, ‘white’ for refueling, ‘black’ for crevasse marking and ‘green’ for setting up camp.

It also has a ‘yellow’ button for biological breaks

The aim is to build up a picture of comfort break frequency during a project deployment.

This allows BAS to make provisions for a more comfortable experience and manage waste better, staying compliant and keeping the environment clean.

The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is dedicated to minimizing the environmental impact of human waste in Antarctica through strict waste management strategies that comply with international protocols.

Under the Antarctic Treaty, strict regulations govern how waste, including sewage, must be treated, stored, and disposed of within all land and ocean south of the 60th parallel south (60°S).

“Recording where people go to the toilet might sound like odd behavior, but it’s fundamental to the work we’re doing out here,” says Ben Norrish, Head of Vehicle Engineering for the British Antarctic Survey.

“We have a legal requirement to minimize the environmental impact of human waste in Antarctica but want to make it as comfortable as possible for our researchers. A warm seat indoors beats a bucket in the snow every time.”

In Antarctica, there is no cell service, making it difficult for researchers in the field to stay in touch when they are on the move or track where they’ve been.

BAS is fitting 75 vehicles, including Sno-Cats and snowmobiles, with customized Geotab GO devices linked to the IRIDIUM satellite network.

The custom devices offer different colored switches for various trackable features, such as ‘red’ for distress beacon, ‘white’ for refueling, ‘black’ for crevasse marking, ‘yellow’ for biological break and ‘green’ for setting up camp.

“Live tracking teams on the ice makes route planning more precise and improves safety,” says Russell Cockerton, a Senior Automotive Specialist at Geotab.

“We have created a customized device tailored to the harsh, remote environment. What started out as telematics technology is now a potential lifesaver in the Antarctic.”

This information is not only vital to the safety of the researchers in the field but also shows where and how frequently field teams stop for toilet breaks during a deployment.

“With the help of Geotab telematics, going to the toilet in the Antarctic can be more than just grabbing a bucket and jumping behind a snowmobile,” added Norrish at BAS.

“It could lead to providing a little slice of home, just maybe without the quilted paper.”