Public toilet facilities are flushed with success
A sanitation worker cleans a toilet.
Shanghai's public toilets will begin opening 24-hours gradually from next month.
The Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau said on Saturday, World Toilet Day, that public toilets which have conditions for all-day-long operations will be open round-the-clock.
At present, most public toilets in Shanghai open for 14 to 16 hours daily.
Shanghai's new public toilets.
"We are considering different modes such as 'smart toilets' that automatically open at night," said Jiang Ruizhi, director of the public toilet department of the Environment Quality Monitoring Center of the bureau.
About 700 public toilets in Shanghai have been installed with unisex facilities, accounting for one fourth of the total, and efforts are being stepped up for the smart and barrier-free renovation of the city's public toilets, the bureau said.
Renovations are underway at public toilets of shopping malls and tourist attractions across the city to include unisex facilities to satisfy the demands of different groups of people, it said.
Almost all public toilets in the city provide free toilet paper, and 1,200 supply hot water for hand washing, according to the bureau.
The trial of "smart public toilet" establishments is proceeding smoothly in the city, involving environment monitoring and control, safety, energy saving, eco-friendly facilities and information technologies.
A clean and tidy environment at a public toilet
"Smart toilets" have alarm functions and will alert staff if users are inside cubicles for an unreasonably long time, in case of emergencies.
They can also monitor air quality and environmental indicators such as ammonia and sulfur dioxide.
Some toilets have LCD screens displaying whether a cubicle is in use or not. Air quality, number of users and temperatures are all shown on the screens.
In Pudong New Area, there are 12 "smart toilets" that enable users to scan a QR code to gain access at night, providing a welcome solution for people who need to use the facility.
Once cleaners finish their shift, the toilets are switched to night operation mode from 9pm, with the doors closed. By scanning a QR code on the door, people who need to use it later are able to open the door.
If users do not come out after 15 minutes, the toilets will send an alarm automatically to night-shift staff for safety reasons.
A public toilet
Over the last two years, the city has built and renovated about 180 public toilets.
"The space layout of public toilets has been made more reasonable, and the cubicle ratio is improved," said Jiang. "The facilities are made more convenient and a smart approach is imposed."
"We are improving the convenience, safety and comfort of users and provide better services for them."
