Biesinger cites Hurricane Katrina as an example. Some 30,000 New Orleans residents sought refuge in the Louisiana Superdome, which did not have working toilets. People went to the bathroom wherever they could. In days, the stench became toxic. By the sixth day, everyone was evacuated. The Superdome eventually had to be renovated.

As many as 5,000 GottaGoToilets folded flat can fit in the space of 30 portable toilets on a standard semi. "In natural disasters, where roads are destroyed and you can't get (to victims), you can drop them in via helicopter and then everybody has toilets," Biesinger said.

Global Sanitation Solutions launched at last summer's Outdoor Retailer market, although not all of its products were ready for sale. Officially, they began selling at the beginning of this year. Their products can be purchased on the company's Web site, www.chemisan.com, or at www.deseretbook.com.

The company has visited LDS Church groups to explain the product. The church counsels its members to keep survival kits for emergencies.

The company is targeting the emergency preparedness, disaster relief, humanitarian and outdoor recreation markets. Since the beginning of the year, Global Sanitation Solutions has done about $100,000 in sales, including sales to relief agencies affiliated with various faiths such as Buddhists and Methodists.

Because of the economic slowdown, many stores have not yet purchased inventory but have made verbal commitments, including Cabela's, Backcountry.com and Sports Authority. In August, the product will be in selected Associated Foods stores.

Not many other companies do what Global Sanitation Solutions does in such an eco-friendly fashion. The company's bags and material inside them break down into the soil in 30 to 90 days, but when tested in the West African nation of Ghana, they broke down in days. The company recommends campers follow the rules of the campsite, even if it means throwing the bags in garbage bins, which is safe.

"The big competitor is a bucket," Biesinger said. "We don't have a lot of competition. It's not glamorous."

The GottaGoToilet is manufactured in the United States and costs $29.99. The Privacy Hut is manufactured in China and costs $54.99. The GottaGo Waste Bags are manufactured in Korea, and a box of 14 bags costs $17.99. A box of ChemiSan, good for seven applications, costs $11.99.

E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com

Twitter: laurahancock