Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/859801
W EEKLY EDITION AUG 9, 2017 Everyone Poops By Karleen Kos, PSAI Executive Director, as published in the August edition of PRO Magazine A children's book with that name has sold millions of copies since the 1970s. A couple of books for grown ups called Everybody Poops 410 Pounds and Everybody Poops 10 Million Pounds bring into focus just how much waste an individual produces in a year and a city like New York produces in a single day. I think we can all agree – there's a lot of waste to be handled and portable restroom operators (PROs) are profession als who handle a good portion of it. People who don't know anything about our work often turn it into a joke – but those of us in the industry know how serious it is. There is a lot to know. • PROs have to be business people, licensing their company, law fully collecting and paying taxes, protecting workers, and carrying out a business strategy sufficient to make a profit and grow the company. • PROs have to be diplomats and negotiators, successfully getting the best deals from customer agreements, financing sources, and suppliers. • PROs have to be experts on portable sanitation topics including processes, techniques, equipment, and a dizzying array of relevant laws at federal, state, and local levels. With all this to know – and constantly changing rules – there is a role for a portable sanitation - specific trade association like the PSAI. Every week I take calls from Members and nonmembers with questions. • What licenses do I need and how can I get them? • Help – I'm being audited by my state's tax authority an d they say I owe thousands of dollars in back taxes! Can that be right? • My disposal site says they won't take my loads anymore because they are too heavily concentrated with [some mineral]. What are the EPA limits? What are my disposal alternatives? • There is a law in my state I think is terrible. How can I get it changed? • One of my guys saw a competitor illegally dumping a load into a city sewer. What should I do? • Are ADA units required at a private wedding held on public land? • My state requires hours of on going training, but I can't find anything specific to portable sanitation. Can you work with the state to offer information relevant to us? PAGE 7 CONTINUED ON PAGE 8