Portable toilets market is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR of 7.3% during the forecast period (2024-2031). The market growth is attributed to an increase in the demand for low-cost easily maintained portable restrooms owing to the growing urbanization and construction industry in emerging economies. According to the Portable Sanitation Association International, the portable sanitation industry posts approximately $1.9 billion year in gross revenue globally. An estimated 3.6 million portable restrooms are in use, serviced by a fleet of over 10,000 trucks globally. The industry includes more than 3,600 businesses and 39,000 employees globally focused exclusively or primarily on portable sanitation.

Market Dynamics

Increasing Demand at Events and Festivals

Increasing outdoor events, festivals, concerts, and sports activities drive demand for portable toilets. Innovative and environmentally conscious portable toilet solutions are growing increasingly popular as sustainability and eco-friendliness grow increasingly essential. The provision of portable toilets for temporary use at events, building sites, outdoor settings, and other circumstances where conventional restroom facilities are not easily accessible or practical to use is known as portable toilet rental and service. Portable toilet delivery, setup, upkeep, and collection are usually included in the service.

Growing Adoption of Smart Portable Toilets

The growing adoption of smart portable toilets equipped with features such as occupancy sensors, automated cleaning systems, and waste level indicators. The integrated smart toilet management system relates to sensors, gateways, networks, and the cloud to get data flowing into the software dashboard or platform. Along with smart toilet people, counter, smart restroom systems provide data on the amount of space used and the amount of paper, soap, and hand wash used in restrooms. The market players offer power passive infrared sensors that give an exact signal of the number of users entering a particular restroom. When the number of visits crosses a predetermined level, the sensor triggers an alert in the smartphone's notification system, which emails the sanitation team. Planning sanitation workers' jobs more precisely is made possible by accurate data on people's traffic every hour, day, week, or month.

Market Segmentation

• Based on the type, the market is segmented into handling moving toilets, and power mobile toilets.

• Based on the application, the market is segmented into construction, special events, public places, and others (recreational).

Construction Segment to Hold a Considerable Market Share

The increasing demand for portable restrooms at construction sites owing to the growing number of residential, hotel, and social infrastructure projects is a key factor driving the growth of this market segment. When portable toilets are hygienic and easily accessible, construction workers are more productive on the job site and can dedicate more time to the project. As building projects frequently take place in places without permanent restrooms, portable toilets provide employees with an easy-to-use and accessible option. By reducing the amount of time lost driving to off-site facilities, these devices increase efficiency and ensure that productive working hours are maximized. According to the Toilet Board Coalition, the sanitation economy is estimated at $62.0 billion market annually in India alone by 2021.

Regional Outlook

Global portable toilets market is segmented based on geography including North America (the US, and Canada), Europe (the UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, and the Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (India, China, Japan, South Korea, and Rest of Asia-Pacific), and the Rest of the World (the Middle East & Africa, and Latin America). 

Growing Demand for Portable Toilets in Asia-Pacific

The regional market growth is attributed to the high visitor influx that has fueled the lodging sector's expansion and increased use of portable restrooms by lodging facilities and government agencies. These restrooms provide sufficient space for using a restroom in a variety of situations. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in February 2022, in South Asia, the proportion of people practicing open defecation fell from 65.0 % to 34.0% with India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan achieving more than 30.0% reduction in open defecation.

Global Portable Toilets Market Growth by Region 2024-2031

North America Holds Major Market Share

The high regional market share is attributed to rapid urbanization and the building industry's growth in the region. Concerns over proper hygiene and sanitation are growing and the demand for portable toilets is being driven by an increase in festivals, outdoor events, and tourism. According to the Portable Sanitation Association International, in the US, about 1,200 businesses are primarily focused on portable sanitation. As many as 9,100 include portable sanitation within their business offerings. Various companies in the region offer self-contained processing units that treats waste directly at the source. When the toilet is used, the liquid waste is purified and recycled for flushing, while the solid waste is subjected to high heat and pressure, eliminating pathogens and transforming it into safe, compostable, dry solids. For instance, in March 2024, LIXIL announced its first commercial license partner for Georgia Tech’s Generation 2 Reinvented Toilet (G2RT) Consortium’s technologies. The G2RT program had a global research team of 95 engineers, scientists, and industrial designers tasked with transforming traditional, infrastructure-dependent toilets into an appliance.

Market Players Outlook

*Note: Major Players Sorted in No Particular Order

The major companies serving the portable toilets market include PolyJohn Enterprises Corp., Satellite Industries, Inc., Toi Toi & Dixi Group, United Site Services, Inc., and WACO Africa (PTY) Ltd. (Sanitech) among others. The market players are increasingly focusing on business expansion and product development by applying strategies such as collaborations, mergers and acquisitions to stay competitive in the market. 

Recent Development

• In May 2023, EcoFab, the portable toilet company in Dubai, announced the release of its new range of vacuum toilets that are perfect for large events. This new system is a game-changer in global event sanitation, as it does not use macerating pumps to generate the vacuum, which often is blocked and is not suitable for operating unattended.

The Report Covers

• Market value data analysis of 2023 and forecast to 2031.
• Annualized market revenues ($ million) for each market segment.
• Country-wise analysis of major geographical regions.
• Key companies operating in the global portable toilets market. Based on the availability of data, information related to new products, and relevant news is also available in the report.
• Analysis of business strategies by identifying the key market segments positioned for strong growth in the future.
• Analysis of market-entry and market expansion strategies.
• Competitive strategies by identifying ‘who-stands-where’ in the market.