On May 9, the Minnesota Senate voted to allow waterless urinals (Minnesota was the only state to deem waterless urinals illegal). However it still retained the ban on air admittance valves at the behest of plumbing unions.
Initially, in 2007, the Minnesota legislature made a law prohibiting the waterless fixtures. In the same law it also prohibited AAVs, whick are used to prevent sewer gas from being released without having to build a pipe-venting system through the roofs of buildings.
Studor Inc. President Jack Beuschel testified before the Minnesota Senate last week. "[Air admittance valves] reduce the cost of construction," he said. "It provides for more affordable housing because you don't have to run all the vent piping through the building frame and up through the roof."
Plumbing labor unions have not been supportive of waterless urinals or AAVs, and have fought against them in other states arguing they will impact jobs.
The move of the Minnesota Senate finance committee to lift the prohibition on waterless urinals but still outlaw AAVs could land the state in court "
