Although Portable toilets are not anyone’s favorite part of working outdoors in areas with no readily available plumbing, there is no doubt that life would be miserable without them. You don’t look at a port-a-potty and think, “Wow, I’m sure glad that portable toilet is around!”, but they have several benefits: they are environmentally friendly, they are good for public health, they increase productivity, and they can save you money in the end. This is on top of the added benefit of not finding fun surprises around site from people who just can’t wait!
Here are some benefits that come from portable toilets that you may not have considered:
- Reduction of insect problems: We all know that insects such as flies are attracted to waste. When the waste is contained, the insects are less likely to hover.
- Protection for plants: Less waste means less of a chance that local flora will be impacted.
- Improved public health: A lot of harmful pathogens can originate from waste and keeping it sanitary makes disease less likely to spread.
- Environmental Benefits: Containing human waste means there’s less of a chance of harmful runoff poisoning our water and soils.
- Water Conservation: Portable toilets, of course, use less water flushing than traditional toilets.
- Odor Control: This one speaks for itself!
Although they provide benefits, you still need to make sure that portable toilets are maintained properly so they remain effective. This means using a suitable number of toilets for your workforce, establishing a regular maintenance and cleaning schedule, check regularly for damage and leaks, and have spill response kits on site just in case.
The Florida Construction General Permit does require that sites manage the exposure of sanitary waste to the surrounding environment and waterways, which means that you must carefully consider the location of your toilets on site. The standard is pretty easy to meet – just keep your toilet at least 10 feet away from an inlet. Your environmental professional will generally notify you of a breach!