Though the image of portable toilets has been given a bad rap due to the poor management of them in locations where they are not properly and regularly maintained, it can be said, without a doubt, that portable toilets offer an immense benefit to the world, as a whole. Aside from the obvious convenience portable toilets provide, an equally important benefit would be these units' ability, by default, to reduce the spread of a variety of horrific diseases.
According to the Portable Sanitation Association International, 40% of the world's population does not have access to any semblance of what would be considered a 'toilet'. The United Nations puts that figure at 50%. The good news is, parts of Third-World countries that have been provided with portable toilets for the very first time, have experienced a noteworthy increase in survival rates among young children.
That is wonderful news but should come as no surprise – after all, when portable toilets take the place of land and waterways that were, once, used for the deposit of human waste, it stands to reason that the spread of harmful microbes will be diminished.
Sanitation Statistics that are Mind-Boggling
Here are some sanitation statistics from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and others that would make anyone pause:
*** Each year, approximately 1.5 million children succumb to diarrhea-related diseases that could, largely, be eliminated with proper sanitation facilities
*** Any 'flushing' toilet capabilities for many of the world's inhabitants consist of a ladle and a bucket of water
*** Waste-water treatment plants are non-existent in many parts of the world and waste is dumped, directly, into water supplies used for bathing and cooking
*** About 60% of the global population – 4.5 billion – have no toilet within their homes
*** Portable toilets and clean water, in every location, could prevent about 842,000 deaths each year
*** Due to the lack of restroom facilities, the spread of intestinal worms, pneumonia, and cholera run rampant in many parts of the world
Portable toilets, however, are slowly turning the tide. In Nairobi, Kenya, US and European aid workers have worked hard to introduce portable toilets as well as stationary varieties. Though the facilities are simple, they are maintained by dedicated sanitation brigades, and the fruits of their labor are becoming realized – as one aid worker has stated: “There has, already, been a positive impact from the use of portable toilets in this area. Here, people used to use plastic bags as toilets and throw the bags into the streets. Waste was deposited in ditches where children regularly play. We have, already, seen a decrease in cholera outbreaks.”
In the US, the use of portable toilets is just as important as it would be in any other part of the world. From festivals inundated with food kiosks, to construction sites, to agricultural venues where field workers must have quick access to portable toilets, it's all about the convenience portable toilets provide as well as minimizing the spread of infectious disease.
The bottom line can be summed up in one simple sentence from a campaign manager representing World Toilet Day for 2019: “Toilets save lives because human waste spreads killer diseases.” Themost important contribution to international health is the toilet. Toilets, whether portable or permanent, help to curb and prevent nearly 50 diseases that can be spread through human feces – dysentery, cholera, and typhoid being only three. Access to toilets, literally, saves lives.
Give Westway Site Services, formerly Moore Cans a Call!
Call Westway Site Services, formerly Moore Cans, today, and we will address any questions you have about any of our portable toilet units. From the very basic to the very elegant, we have portable-restroom designs that cater to any type of event, any-sized event, and any budget!
You can reach us at 214-351-0909
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