The various types of portable toilets that are available for hire

This is the 1st installment of a series of posts about 'All you need to know about hiring & buying portable toilets'.

The standard of portable toilets available for hire has varied amazingly over the last 20 years, just as the standard of public toilets has improved to the point that public toilets are now very often of a standard comparable to domestic toilets in the home. Following are the principle types of toilets available to hire from specialist toilet hire companies which are to be found in every community throughout the country:

A single portable toilet is familiarly referred to as a “tardis” because of its uncanny resemblance to the familiar Dr Who Time Machine bearing the same name. During its evolution the “tardis” or plastic toilet has also been transformed from its less than aromatic origins to today’s smart facility with sweet smelling polyethylene plastic construction and sanitary facilities which are almost a pleasure to use!

But single good portable toilets are also required as temporary facilities for a number of other applications where access can be arranged to mains drainage, water and electric services. Many toilet hire operators have recognized this increasing need and have expanded the range of single toilets in their fleets to include mains connected toilets with either hot or cold water hand washing facilities.

• Trailer Mounted Mobile Toilets
Trailer toilets have become very popular to hire because they provide an instant “fix” for the need for sanitary facilities when a number of people are congregated for a period of time for any reason. The keywords “Luxury Mobile Toilets” has almost become a popular phrase worthy of The Oxford English Dictionary, and at any outdoor wedding event it is not uncommon to find the green skirted trailer with aluminium steps and flash interior with oak finishes, gold or chrome taps and soothing background music. 

Large Event Toilets are also available for hire, and these are usually more functional with separate trailers for men and women and designed with larger doors and circulation space to allow a maximum throughput of users.

Trailer Toilets can either be re-circulating with the use of chemical concentrate or mains connected with the use of fresh water for flushing.

• Vacuum Toilets
Although slightly more expensive to hire today there is a fast developing variety of Vacuum Toilets available for hire. These are generally modular and can therefore be set up at ground level to provide a hotel-style sanitary facility to match the needs of a particular event. Unlike the majority of trailer toilets the fluid used to flush the toilet is fresh water as opposed to chemical mix and when the toilet is flushed the contents are sucked away to a holding tank hidden out of sight.

• Accessible Toilets
It is, of course, a legal requirement to provide specialist accessible facilities at public events and most organisers will make suitable arrangements for disabled guests at private events. The majority of Toilet Hire Operators will be able to supply either plastic facilities or trailer mounted facilities allowing wheelchair access and the facility to turn the wheelchair a full 360 degrees within the interior of the toilet unit.

• Toilet “Cabins” or “Blocks”
In cases where the requirement for public facilities is seasonal or temporary it is invariably more economical to arrange the purchase or hire of Toilet Blocks or Cabins. Historically such facilities have been available for use at construction sites, but increasingly much greater demand has developed to service Campsites, Holiday Parks, 

Theme Parks and even Garden Centres where the public is encouraged to enjoy their surroundings in a comfortable setting with both restaurant and sanitary facilities available for them to use. The advantage of using such facilities is that they can be disconnected and removed out of season when not required, and because they are not “permanent” are often viewed more leniently by the planning authorities.