The Life Cycle of a Portaloo
Portaloos play a pretty big role in maintaining the hygiene and cleanliness of events. With a lifespan of 10 years or more, they’re also a very economical way of providing facilities for guests. Companies offering portaloo hire Brisbane wide typically carry a selection of portaloos that are at various stages of their life cycle. From brand new units to well-loved toilets, the way portaloos are used changes throughout their life.
Depending on what type of event you’re hosting, the cost of the portaloos you hire can vary based on the condition of toilets. Brand new toilets cost more, while the ones that are coming towards the end of their useful life tend to cost less. Your portaloo hire company will work with you to pick the ones that best suit your use and budget, meaning you’ll always get value for your money. In this article we’re going to look at the typical life cycle of a portaloo and how their use changes over time.
- Brand New Toilets
Believe it or not, the world of portaloo manufacturing is always evolving. Companies are always looking for ways to improve their portable toilets to add more features and make them more hygienic. That means brand new toilets that are fresh off the factory floor are usually reserved for hire by special events. The brand new units look immaculate and they come with lots of features that older models don’t. Brand new portaloos often have things like solar lighting, improved ventilation, integrated hand washing basins and options for less common services like urinals and showers.
The trade off is that brand new portaloos can be expensive to buy. That means hire companies typically only have a limited stock and that you can expect to pay a premium to have brand new units at your event. The upside is that newer portaloos also give you access to things like bathroom trailers that provide a much more comfortable experience than the classic plastic box style.
- Slightly Used Toilets
Lightly used portaloos are the most common variety. They’re ones you’re familiar with because they’re used at all sorts of events. From your local markets to concerts, music festivals and more, slightly used portaloos are in good visual condition and they work perfectly. These are also the most easily available types of portaloos, so it’s pretty easy to hire them even if you’re hosting an event in a rural or remote location.
Slightly used portaloos are likely to be a few years old and they won’t have all the bells and whistles of the latest models, but they’re perfect for pretty much every event.
- Moderately Used Toilets
Portable toilets live a pretty hard life. Even when they’re used for things like local markets, foot traffic and use by thousands of people will eventually take its toll on the unit. And that goes double for damage caused during transport and cleaning.
At some point in a portaloo’s life, it will have collected too many scratches, dents and imperfections to be used at regular events. These moderately used portaloos find their new homes on construction and worksites. As long as the portaloo is still hygienic and working properly, tradespeople are less concerned about the appearance of the unit. Moderately used portaloos are often also cheaper to hire, meaning that any accidental damage that occurs onsite won’t be the end of the world.
- Heavily Used Toilets
This is the end of the road for a portaloo. After 10 or more years in use, most portaloos have accumulated more than their fair share of scratches, dents, stains and imperfections. Companies that offer portaloo hire Brisbane wide will eventually decide that a portaloo is no longer presentable (even for construction sites) and no longer economical to repair. At that point, the portaloo will go off to one of two places:
- Private companies sometimes buy old portaloos. They’ll repair the unit and then continue to use it. This is common for larger construction and demolition companies. Having a few portaloos of their own means they don’t have to worry about the wear and tear on units they’re leasing, and it helps them save money on hire costs.
- End-of-life portaloos will be sent off for dismantling and recycling. Some of the plastic components in a portaloo can be melted down for reuse later. Other parts will need to be properly destroyed after spending their life in contact with waste and harsh chemicals.
Whatever its fate, you can bet that a portaloo has provided more than a decade of consistent use and has ensured the cleanliness of hundreds of events!