Question: What do you do with portable restroom units that are no longer in rentable condition?
Answer: Several options are available, all with the objective of keeping old units and parts out of the landfill.
As we are aware, our industry is environmentally friendly in that our wastewater is treated and released back into our world. Our goal should be to show the same concern for our unusable equipment. It is our hope that PROs will share other ideas, especially in regard to recycling.
OPTIONS
In discussions with other PROs, feedback from various posts on social media, as well as our own experience, several options are available when units reach “end of useful life” as rentable equipment:
Advertise units for sale for continued rental by other PROs
The determination that a unit will no longer be available for rent for your company does not necessarily mean that it would not be useful to another PRO. Companies have differing standards on when to retire units. There are instances where units that are faded and heavily worn are needed by other PROs for certain heavy construction projects.
From the feedback we have received, projects with massive amounts of digging, excavation, tunneling and trenching — all of which generate dust in dry conditions and mud in wet conditions — are prime locations for older, used units. Huge concrete pouring jobs that generate concrete splashing and dust are other examples where older units are better suited for this use as opposed to recently converted event units or newer construction units.
Consider advertising the sale of these units. Some PROs have found that selling several unusable units at one time is more cost effective for the purchaser in terms of transportation costs.
After your special event season ends in the fall is an ideal time to evaluate the condition of your entire restroom inventory. Determine the number of units that are still event quality, the number of event units that can be moved over to construction and the number of construction units that need to be retired. Advertise the retired units and determine the number of new units that need to be purchased either at year end or at the beginning of the new year.
This option involves the thorough cleaning of the unit and making any repairs that are deemed necessary. These units can be set aside until advertised and sold.
Advertise units for sale for other uses
Creativity and PROs sharing similar experiences are the keys to this option. The adage of “one person’s junk is another person’s treasure” is a valid point in this instance. Consider these alternative uses for unrentable units, think of your own and share them with others:
Modern-day outhouses — By cutting a hole in the bottom of the tank and placing the altered unit over a hole, an old-fashioned outhouse is instantly created. Typical purchasers of this type of equipment are remote outdoor groups or organizations. Seasonal hunting camps, isolated fishing camps and remote hiking trails are examples. Here in Georgia, we had great success advertising in outdoor hunting and fishing magazines and websites.
Hunting blinds — By removing the tank, urinal and toilet paper holder to save as spare parts while creating a solid floor, the PRO can once again target the hunting and fishing marketplace. Hunters will cut the wall or walls as needed. Usually creating small flaps with hinged openings, hunters tailor units to their own needs. With the solid floor and the convenience of walls and a roof, a hunter can be protected from the elements while waiting for game.
Agricultural storage sheds — As with the hunting blind, a small weatherproof shed is often needed for storage of grain or tools in some fields or gardens. These former restroom units can be locked as needed.
Convert unit into parts for reuse as needed
This is the predominant use for old or damaged units. Salvaged tanks, seats, urinals, walls, skids, roofs, toilet paper holders and vent stacks can all be used for repair of other units. Torn or damaged walls can be cut into smaller pieces to serve as patches for damaged units. “Parting out units” saves both money and time in the repair process. Several PROs have shared the immense savings that recycling parts can have on their financial results.
Combine parts from multiple units to create a usable unit
This should be the first priority when an older or damaged unit is returned to the yard. By using two units, for example, to create one unit that can go back into the field creates tremendous savings. In addition, the excess parts can go into your parts inventory for future use.
Recycle
Reduce – Reuse – Recycle are the goals of being environmentally responsible. In the examples above, we have suggested ways to reuse old equipment by reselling it to others as well as to reduce units to parts, which can then be reused. What about leftover sections of walls, broken roofs, partial skids and pieces of unusable plastic? Landfills should not be the last option!
Since the advent of polyethylene portable restrooms in the late 1960s and early 1970s, how many thousands of plastic parts and pieces of units have been deposited in landfills?
This is a tremendous challenge as we strive to be a completely environmentally friendly industry with recycling as one of our primary objectives. It will take the same creativity shared above to solve this issue.
Research by PROs on a local level is the best place to begin. The various guidelines, rules and regulations will vary from place to place. Be able to describe and educate local officials as to the materials that need to be recycled.
We have been told that in some municipalities, plastic walls and roofs can be taken “as is” to the local recycling center where the plastic is cut and ground into pellets for future reuse in other industries. Apparently in these locations, there is a stigma about the waste tanks even if they are shown to be perfectly clean. Some PROs will cut the tanks into smaller indiscreet sections for recycling.
Other PROs have shared that they are responsible for cutting all plastic for recycling into pieces not to exceed certain sizes. While this requires more effort on the part of the PRO, the plastic will be accepted once the specifications are met.
Recycling companies in some areas of the country will come to your location and pick up the unusable plastic. Again, research will be needed, and the PRO should be prepared to explain in detail the nature of the pieces to be recycled. Again, with the public’s perception of our industry, in some cases, the concern about the plastic being in contact with human waste should be addressed. If there is an issue with the tank, perhaps being cut into small pieces will eliminate any issues.
Recycling should be viewed as your company’s contribution to your local community. There should be no expectation of financial gain and any payoff should be considered a bonus.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Recycling in our industry has been an unresolved issue for many years. Today we must work together and to share as much information as possible in order to solve this problem. Please share your thoughts and ideas with us and all of us will benefit.
