Environmental Benefits Behind Portable Sanitation
September 23, 2022
Aside from the convenience of having clean portable restrooms at outdoor events, remote events, or large events where the indoor toilets cannot keep up with the demand—there are also many environmental benefits of portable sanitation. Portable toilets can be rented both short-term and long-term, and cleaning and maintenance is often included. Whether speaking of a standard porta potty or portable toilet trailers, the environmental benefits below apply.
Reducing the Spread of Waste on Hands and Clothing
Bathroom rentals can include a basic porta potty which allows a confined place for waste, but even a basic portable restroom can have accompanying hand washing station to reduce the likelihood of contamination throughout the event. This is of increased importance for events where food will be served, because even a hand sanitizer cannot replace washing your hands with water.
Not only that, there are a multitude of cleanliness and sanitation issues that arise when toileting outdoors. Aside from the lack of privacy, human waste is more likely to accidentally end up on your clothing, and may be harmful to the local environment.
Improved Quality of Cleanliness and Sanitation
One of the most common reasons people turn to bathroom rentals, is to have clean portable toilets for short-term purposes. Advances in portable technology even allow for the ability to have a toilet trailer that flushes and has a built-in sink. Flushing toilet rentals further decrease the likelihood of disease that can negatively impact both the local environment, as well as all in attendance at the event. Many toilet trailers are even temperature controlled.
Proper Disposal of Waste
Whether an event is large or small, or the bathroom rentals are placed in a centralized location—or strategically throughout an outdoor space, proper disposal of human waste is essential. While one person using the restroom outdoors on occasion is not likely to have a negative impact on the environment, it is not out of the question. Human feces often carry harmful microorganisms, that if not properly disposed can contaminate the nearby water sources. In fact, many of the harmful microorganisms found in feces thrives in cold water—so human feces found near a stream or river can lead to the spread of diseases. One of the most common diseases that occurs due to the improper disposal of feces is Giardia.
Supports Water Conservation
While many opt for modern flushing toilet rentals, some turn to porta potties as a method of further conserving water. Even “low flow” toilets use a minimum of 1.6 gallons of water per flush. This is a vast improvement from older toilets that require up to 6 gallons of water per flush. Porta potties that do not need to be flushed save multiple gallons of water, because the waste can be safely disposed of without using the water that is typically required to flush the toilet. While the porta potty and reservoir will of course require water for cleaning, it is a drastically smaller amount than flushing after every use. It is for this reason that some are using porta potties all year-round, even if indoor toilets are available. In fact, even many “green” events opt for bathroom rentals.
Reduces the Spread of Disease That Can Harm the Local Wildlife and Vegetation
While contaminating the local water is certainly of concern, human waste can also be harmful to the local wildlife and vegetation. While it is indeed true that animals that live in the wild also relieve themselves in the wild—they instinctually understand how to manage their waste. On top of that, many humans consume processed foods and prescriptions that are likely to harm the local vegetation—and any wildlife that consumes it. Keep in mind that consuming waste does not mean that an animal is eating it directly, but that human wastes can make its way throughout the natural environment on the feet, paws, or hooves of other humans and animals. It can also be carried on insects. While there are some methods of going to the bathroom outdoors, they require you to dig a small pit and cover it properly—and most people do not have the know-how, the time, or the desire to do this. This is why many campgrounds choose to have clean portable restrooms, not just as a luxury—but to maintain the health of their surroundings.
Odor Control
Aside from the benefits above, modern portable toilets have superior odor control to that of the older generation of porta potties. Even if the portable bathroom rental does not flush, the technology of today’s porta potties is far superior to that of a decade ago. This means that the unappealing aroma will not have a negative impact on your event, even if you require multiple toilet rentals.
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