Although the unique topic of portable restrooms is not one commonly or often discussed among peers who aren?t apart of its industry, it is an interesting one which has come a long way since its origin.
Nowadays, we benefit from a plethora of modern options for transportable restroom facilities. Portable restrooms have been through multiple experimental trials over the years and they are now being crafted by companies who manufacture them professionally.
Over the years, they have been called by many different names, such as porta John and Port-o-let. These facilities are commonly used for construction sites and outdoor events such as festivals, concerts, weddings, movie sets, marathons, markets, etc. They are a popular choice because they are easily transportable, self-contained, and require no power to operate.
An Interesting Beginning
The rise of portable restrooms began in the ship building yards of Long Beach, California around the year 1940. It had come to be an obvious fact that the workers and builders were using valuable time to go off site when they needed to use a restroom. Therefore, the solution of small, metal shanties with sewer holding tanks attached to a plank of wood were installed temporarily on the ships for the convenience of the crews working on them.
But over time, people realized that the usage of metal and wood as materials provided an unpleasant odorous environment and were a challenge to clean. They were also too awkward and bulky to be moved around easily.
The 60?s
So, in the late 1960?s, the use of fiberglass was introduced. It was definitely easier to clean and sanitize, but it was such a brittle material that it often broke while moving the unit. In addition to the easily breakable material, it was still a porous substance that still made for a smelly environment within the stalls.
By this time in history, people were starting to invest more in the portable restroom industry and products. In 1962, George Harding received the first US patent for transportable facilities.
The 80?s
In the 1980?s, polyethylene (more commonly known as plastic) was introduced as the primary material for building portable restrooms with. Users and manufacturers realized that it was a non-porous and non-absorbent substance, so it greatly reduced the amount of odor in the units. It is also a very durable material, which took care of the problem of breaking in transport. All around, it was a convenient product because of its lightweight and easy move ability. A company called Gotugo became the leading manufacturer and distributor in 1980.
Present
At this point and time in history, in the here and now, we have such a wide variety of options available to us of portable restroom facilities. They come from so many different companies and manufacturers. They come in so many different colors, sizes, and styles. There is even an option for portable restroom trailers and portable restroom showers. (These options are usually used for VIP kind of circumstances.) So, as you can see, like many other modern developments, the portable restroom has had quite the evolutionary journey. And today, we appreciate that modern development, as it makes events and such much more convenient.