Warsaw, Poland 

Existing public restrooms transformed into businesses:

Leased to business owners at nominal rents on the condition they renovate them and allow the public to use the toilets freely.  By law, public toilet sign must remain above the door.  Public restrooms are now luncheonettes, bars, Chinese restaurants, a veterinary clinic.

Of 42 public bathrooms, 28 now dealt with in manner stated above.

Advantage: Public restrooms maintained at no cost to the public or the city.

Drawback: Restrooms are not as easily recognized as such by the public.  They tend to be seen as restaurants and may not be found in time of need, in spite the sign above the door.

http://www.freep.com/news/nw/qbars19.htm
 

Suwon, South Korea

Toilet Cultural Division, a six person office at city hall, founded to fix up public restrooms for the upcoming Soccer World Cup:

• Spent three years, $3.8 million renovating 587 restrooms, building 16 new ones.[2]
• Passed out questionnaires, held symposiums to get public feedback on how to improve restrooms [1]
• Visited public toilets in Japan, Germany, France, Switzerland, the UK
• Sponsors “best bathroom competition”: effort to get the private sector involved.  A team of artists, architects, environmentalists, and designers evaluates the city’s public restrooms each month and nominates its favorites.  The Toilet Cultural Division picks the winner, which receives a plaque from city hall and is posted on the city’s website and in travel literature.
• Public restrooms made into tourist attractions--include flowers, paintings, music, automatic faucets, sliding stall doors for the disabled, heated toilet seats, solar-powered heat.
• Korea Clean Toilet Association founded by Suwon’s mayor, Sim Jae Duck.
• Head of Toilet Cultural Division: Choi Soung Duk 
• See website http://city.suwon.kyonggi.kr/english/toilet.html 

[1]Schuman, Michael and Hae Won Choi.  “Suwon’s Restrooms, Once the Pits, Are Flush With Tourists---Public Toilets Sport Bouquets, Heated Seats; Soccer Fans Will Find Nice Places to Go.”  The Wall Street Journal.  New York: Nov. 26, 1999.

[2]Torchia, Christopher.  Associated Press.  “South Korean City Turning Its Toilets Into High Art.”  JS Online: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.  Last updated: April 21, 2000. 

http://www.fortatkinsonnews.com/dd/destnat/apr00/trv--travel-042100.asp
 

Hamburg, Germany

Majority of toilets privatized in six-year modernizing and privatizing project carried out by the Department of the Environment:

27 public toilets rebuilt to be integrated with kiosks; these kiosk-toilet combinations are privatized and run by the kiosk operator.

16 JCDecaux APTs installed, funded by ad revenue.  “So far well-accepted by the citizens of Hamburg.”

29 toilets in the subway system assigned to the Hamburger Hochbahn AG (elevated railway co.), to whom the Department of the Environment made above DM 1 million available for their renovation.  8 of them to become kiosk-toilets.

6 public toilets operated by the Deutsche Bahn AG (German rail co.)

20 toilets opened to the public on market days, operated by offices of Commerce and Public Order.  Fitted with energy and water saving technology.  Funded by fees paid for the setting up of market stands.

23 toilets needed separate solutions:  Some privatized, some handed over to district offices.

25 toilets that fit none of the above categories remain, “because of their importance for the population and tourism,” the responsibility of the city of Hamburg.  They were modernized and fitted with energy and water saving technology.

19 toilets closed because of remote location and little use, but those opened and reopened more than make up for those closed.

=>132 public toilets when project launched in 1994; 149 public toilets at its conclusion in 2000.

50 of these are handicapped accessible.

Savings for the Hamburg budget:

DM 5.6 million used in 1994 for toilet upkeep; about DM 1.7 million will be used in 2000.

http://www.hamburg.de/Behoerden/Umweltbehoerde/presse/p_000606b.htm
Contact: brigitte.koehnlein@ub.hamburg.de
 

Singapore

Public toilets found freely in all commercial buildings (shopping centers, hospitals, office blocks, flatted factories, stations, hotels, markets, restaurants, food courts, religious buildings, etc.).  These toilets are mostly free, some charge a small fee.  Without toilets, they are denied building approvals. [1]

Fine of S$4,500 for the failure to flush a public toilet. [2]

Ministry of the Environment has a yearly Keep Public Toilets Clean campaign with competitions and cash prizes

Jack Sim of Besco Building Supplies founded the Singapore Restroom Association with the main goal of increased toilet cleanliness.  Seeks to establish worldwide network of restroom associations for the promotion of better, cleaner public restrooms.  His website exists in part as a public forum for posting negative experiences with public restooms.  See below.

[1] Sim, Jack.  E-mail, July 11, 2000.  “Public Restoom Project in New York City.”

[2]Atkinson, David.  “Comment & Analysis: email.”  The Guardian.  Manchester, U.K.: Nov. 15, 1999.

See Websites:

http://www.toinet.org
http://www.restroom-assn.com

Japan

The Japan Toilet Association, seeing as its basic mission the improvement of the toilet environment, acts as a networking and consulting body for many national and international groups, organizations, and companies involved in the public toilet issue. It has been involved in research of the public toilet situation at home and abroad and has hosted an annual toilet symposium on November 10 (declared by the association as “Toilet Day”) since its founding in 1985.  The most recent was the Asia Pacific Toilet Symposium in Kitakyushu, Japan on November 9-11, 1999, of which the main theme was “The Toilet and Human Environment in the 21st century.”  Topics included universal design and toilets, toilets and health, resource conservation--the environment and toilets, etc.  Events included an international toilet equipment exhibition and the “Good Toilets 10” contest awards.

Website: www.toilet.or.jp  (in Japanese)

Contact:  Koo Ue, Secretary General
Japan Toilet Association
Central Shinbashi Bldg.
2-11-5, Nishi-Shinbashi
Minato-ku, Tokyo 
Japan

Fax 81-3-3593-1374
Tel. 81-3-3580-7487

E-mail: ue@toilet.or.jp
 

Winchester, U.K.

The British Toilet Association, a non-profit company, seeks both legislation and the involvement of the private sector for the improvement of public toilets.  It holds a national competition called “Loo of the Year.”  Approx. 400 businesses, historical sites, etc. apply each year and are judged by the association.  The best 50 are published in a book to be used by people interested in building toilets. [1]

Ray Fowler of the BTA: “I didn’t want a Millennium Dome, but a brand new millennium toilet in every town--attractive, welcoming and clean.  You could buy tea or coffee there, have it decorated with flowers, and make it a real central meeting place.” [2]

[1]Telephone interview with Ray Fowler, July 18, 2000.

[2]Welford, Heather.  “Social Change: Urinals for all?  We don’t take our public toilets seriously enough, argues Heather Welford.”  The Guardian.  Manchester, U.K.:  Oct. 21, 1998.

See website:  www.britloos.co.uk

Contact:  Ray Fowler, (44) 1433-621971
 

Salisbury, Massachusetts 

Visitor Information Center on Interstate 95 South installed composting toilets.  (McCabe, Coco.  “Public Toilets are a Rare Find.”  Boston Globe.  Boston: Aug. 8, 1999.)
 

Vancouver, B.C., Canada

C.K. Choi Building at the University of British Columbia is a 30,000 square foot office complex which uses composting toilets and is not connected to the city’s sewer system. 

See website http://www.cityfarmer.org/comptoilet64.html#toilet

Project architects: Matsuzaki Wright Architects Inc.
Suite 2410-1177 W. Hastings St.
Vancouver, B.C. V6E 2K3
Canada

Fax: (604) 685-3180
 

San Jose, California:
 

As of December, 1998, was planning to lease 7 toilets from JCDecaux.  These are not paid for by ad revenue, but are leased by the San Jose Redevelopment Agency for $61,500/year.  (Henneman, Todd.  “San Jose Follows S.F.’s Example With High-Tech Outdoor Toilets.”  San Francisco Chronicle.  San Francisco: Dec. 8, 1998.)

http://www.sj-downtown.com/about_us.htm
 

Boston, Massachusetts:

Wall USA, Inc., in competition with JCDecaux and Adshel, won Boston contract for automated public toilets by offering to set up a manufacturing facility where they would employ workers from the Local 7 Ironworkers union.[1]

Wall plans to install 250 bus shelters, 8 public toilets, 9 information kiosks, 4 newsstands.[1,2] 

Over the next 20 years, Wall expects to make at least $130 million from advertising, of which $46 million will be shared with the city.[1]

Installation of one toilet is on average:  $225,000[2]

[1]Flint, Anthony.  “Potential Ad Revenue Makes ‘Street Furniture’ Lucrative.”  Boston Globe.  Boston:  Oct. 2, 1999.

[2]Hurley, Mary, compiler.  “‘Street Furniture’ Review Underway.”  Boston Globe.  Boston:  Mar. 19, 2000.
Contact:  (617)635-4106
 

Los Angeles, California:

City Council has voted to seek bids for a city-wide APT program, considering funding it through advertising kiosks.  This occurred the day after a vote to delay an ordinance against public urination and defecation.[1]

Dept. of Public Works says APTs cost $150,000-$250,000 and $50,000/year in maintenance.  They could be leased for $60,000-$75,000/year.[1]

In 1998, LA’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority decided to install no-fee public toilets at rail stations.  California has a law banning pay toilets in public buildings.[2]

[1]The Times Mirror Company.  “Southern California/ A news summary; The Local Review/Developments in Los Angeles County; Bids for Automated Public Toilets to Be Sought.”  Los Angeles Times.  Los Angeles:  June 8, 2000.

[2]Rabin, Jeffrey L.  “MTA Panel OKs Installation of No-Fee Toilets at Rail Stations.”  The Los Angeles Times.  Los Angeles:  Aug. 13, 1998.
 

see also: Innovative Toilet Manufacturers