Click on a country for a brief summary of public, private, and/or non-profit efforts to improve the local public toilet situation.  For more detailed information and source credits, see The Privy Council's Public Toilets Report in the Archives. 

Germany
Great Britain
India
Japan
Poland
Singapore
South Korea
 

Germany
In the northern city of Hamburg, a six-year project to modernize and privatize a majority of the city's public toilets was recently concluded.  This project was carried out by the Department of the Environment.  It included integrating toilets with kiosks whose operators will run them, installing new automated public toilets, and turning over a number of toilets to private companies (such as transportation companies) who would be responsible for their upkeep.  The city also continues to operate a number of the toilets. 

Hamburg has 149 public toilets, 50 of which are handicapped accessible and many of which are outfitted with water and energy saving technology.  The city will now be spending only about a third of what they used to spend on yearly public toilet upkeep! 

The city of Hamburg considers public toilets of great "importance for the population and tourism"! 
 

Great Britain
In a national competition called “Loo of the Year,” approximately 400 businesses, historical sites, etc. have their public facilities judged by the British Toilet Association, a non-profit group of public toilet advocates.  The best 50 are published in a book to be used by people interested in building toilets. 

The British Toilet Association is also active in lobbying their government for more and better legislation on public toilets.  Take a look at their website to find out more about their activities and to get a taste of how seriously this issue is taken in other countries. 
 

India
In India, as in many other developing countries, due to the economic situation, high population rates, and some cultural issues, sanitation has been a serious problem for some time.  But Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak is doing something about it.  He founded Sulabh Sanitation Movement in 1970 and has since built 3,200 sanitation complexes, which include toilets with bath, laundry and urinal facilities, operated on a pay-and-use basis.  Check out his museum's website at www.sulabhtoiletmuseum.org

Japan
The Japan Toilet Association, a non-profit organization, is working hard to improve the toilet environment at home and in neighboring countries.  It is been involved in research of the public toilet situation and hosts "good toilets" contests as well as an annual toilet symposium.  The symposium involves speakers from around the world and covers topics such as universal design and toilets, toilets and health, the environment and toilets (resource conservation), and others. The association acts as an important networking and consulting body for many national and international groups, organizations, and companies involved in the public toilet issue.
 

Poland
In Warsaw, Poland's capital city, an innovative approach has been taken to deal with the burden that public toilets can often be on a city's budget . . . and its image.  Many existing public restrooms have been transformed into businesses.  Business owners rent them for nominal prices on the condition they renovate them and allow the public to use the toilets freely.  By law, the public toilet sign must remain above the door.  But now, public restrooms are also luncheonettes, bars, Chinese restaurants, and even a veterinary clinic.  And they don't cost the city (or taxpayers) anything to maintain. 
 

Singapore
Here, public toilets can be found in all commercial buildings (shopping centers, hospitals, office blocks, factories, stations, hotels, markets, restaurants, religious buildings, etc.).  These toilets are mostly free, while there is a small fee for some.  Without toilets, the companies are denied building approvals.  Reportedly, there is also a S$4,500 fine for the failure to flush a public toilet. 

Singapore has a Restroom Association, founded by Mr. Jack Sim, who sees the need for an improved toilet culture.  His association is involved with the yearly Keep Public Toilets Clean campaign, which includes competitions and cash prizes. 
 

South Korea 
In response to the upcoming soccer World Cup, which will be hosted in South Korea, the city of Suwon launched a program to fix up its public restrooms.  It started by founding the Toilet Cultural Division, a six person office at city hall, which then spent three years and $3.8 million renovating existing restrooms and building new ones.  They passed out questionnaires, held symposia to get public feedback, and visited public toilets in Japan, Germany, France, Switzerland, and the UK.  The result is public restrooms that have been made into tourist attractions--complete with flowers, paintings, music, automatic faucets, sliding stall doors for the disabled, heated toilet seats, and solar-powered heat. 

The Toilet Cultural Division also sponsors a “best bathroom competition,” which is an 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.