City's public toilets are flushed with success
A display of the latest smart sanitation vehicles in Xuhui District's riverfront.
One third of the city's public toilets are open 24 hours, and about 700 have been installed with unisex facilities, the city's greenery and public sanitation authorities revealed on Sunday, the 11th World Toilet Day.
The city has about 2,900 public toilets in total, and 1,003 are now open round-the-clock, according to the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau.
The majority, or some 2,500, provide free toilet paper, and more than 1,300 supply hot water for hand washing.
Another 227 public toilets have experienced an upgrade this year to improve safety and convenience for the use of elderly citizens and children, exceeding the annual target by about 20 percent.
The city's "most beautiful toilets" are honored.
A display of sanitation vehicles in Xuhui District's riverfront.
Measures include installation of safety handrails, anti-collision strips and one-click buttons for help in case of emergency situations, as well as free offers of wheel chairs, walking sticks and walking aids.
"We plan to upgrade another 1,200 public toilets toward the goal of senior-and-children-friendly," said Song Gang, head of the public toilet management department of the Environment Quality Monitoring Center affiliated to the bureau.
"The ultimate goal is the coverage of all public toilets in the city."
The city will continuously promote the all-day-long opening of more public toilets which have conditions for round-the-clock operation, and improve the ratio of cubicles for male and female, the bureau said.
