How much fluid can a WAG bag absorb?

WAG (Waste Alleviation and Gelling) bags contain polymer and enzyme gel that absorbs fluid. This reaction makes the waste inert and safe to dispose in a trash can. In this experiment we tested out the maximum amount of fluid a WAG bag could absorb. You should not add this amount of waste to the WAG bag.

Should I carry a shovel?

A WAG bag next to a ruler

RESTOP2 Toilet-To-Go

Polymer and enzyme gel: 24 grams

Toilet Paper: 9 grams

Hand Sanitation Wipe: 3 grams

Sealable Bag: 44 grams

Total Weight without the waste: 80 grams

The inside of the wag bag showing the absorbent gel

View of the Polymer and Enzyme Gel

The polymer and enzyme gel is located at the bottom of the WAG bag. The enzyme polymer weighed 24 grams.

the gel from a WAG bag being weighed onto a scale

1 Gram of Polymer and Enzyme Gel

We weighed out exactly one gram of polymer and enzyme gel.

the gel being poured into a ziploc baggie

Added 1 Gram of Polymer and Enzyme Gel to sealable bag

We added one gram of polymer and enzyme gel to a large sealable bag.

the water being poured into the ziplock baggie with the gel inside

Added yellow dyed water to polymer and enzyme gel

We slowly added yellow dyed water to the polymer and enzyme gel and agitated the bag until the water was not absorbed.

the gel in a ziplock baggie being weighed

The 1 Gram of Polymer and Enzyme Gel absorbed 0.163 liters of water!

The 1 gram of polymer and enzyme gel was able to absorb 0.163 liters (163 grams) of yellow dyed water! The total weight of the water and gel mixture weighed 164 grams (the plastic bag was subtracted out using the scale).

gel being weighed ousted of the ziploc baggie

The yellow dyed water and gel formed a spongy mixture

The yellow dyed water and gel formed a spongy mixture as shown in the picture. Not all of the mixture could fit on the scale at one time. 1 gram of polymer and enzyme gel was able to absorb much more water than expected.  

a water bottle with fake urine showing how much water the baggie absorbed

One WAG bag can absorb a maximum of 3.9 liters of water!

About 0.163 liters of yellow dyed water shown on the left was absorbed by just one gram of polymer and enzyme gel. This means that the 24 grams of polymer and enzyme gel in the WAG bag can absorb a maximum of 3.9 liters (24 x 0.163 liters) of water! However, adding 3.9 liters of liquid waste to the bag is not recommended. This is because the enzyme gel has to react and neutralize the waste. Having too much liquid would reduce the effectiveness of the enzyme.

Summary

WAG (Waste Alleviation and Gelling) bags are effective in neutralizing waste if used correctly.  In this experiment we showed how a WAG bag can absorb a lot of water. In a pinch you can use a WAG bag twice. However, this does not mean you should overload a bag with waste.

It’s important to use the WAG bag as designed. Overloading the WAG bag with waste will make the enzyme gel ineffective in neutralizing the waste.