Shanghai Strives for Cleaner Public Restrooms, Better 'Bathroom Etiquette'

Local officials in Shanghai, China, recently launched a campaign to clean up the city's more than 3800 public restrooms and improve "bathroom etiquette" in these facilities, according to an Oct. 20 news report in China Daily, a national English-language newspaper published in Beijing.

Plans call for establishing 100 "banner bathrooms" in the city by the end of next year and an additional 200 by the end of 2007, as well as setting minimal standards for cleanliness and service for all 3,800 facilities by 2010.

"A banner bathroom must ensure good and clean facilities and amiable services," said Liu Weiguang, an official at the Shanghai City Appearance and Environmental Sanitation Bureau, according to the report. Banner bathrooms must be cleaned at least once every 20 minutes, and some "high-grade facilities" will feature specially trained attendants who will offer services in English, Chinese, and sign language.

Such facilities will charge between 1 and 2 yuan (US$0.12 and US$0.24) per visit, according to the report. All public restrooms also will feature signs calling for "better bathroom etiquette," including requests to flush the toilets and warnings against the use of graffiti, the report said.

Source: China Daily