The Environmental Case for Sanitary Bins in Men’s Toilets

Across the board, sanitary bins in women’s toilets are broadly acknowledged as a required public amenity. Beyond merely serving a function of convenience, these bins address vital issues surrounding public health and hygiene. Yet, curiously, men’s toilets remain free of this critical feature. While this omission can perpetuate social inequalities, it also rings alarm bells from an environmental perspective.

Why Do Men’s Toilets Need Sanitary Bins?

Some might question why sanitary bins would be necessary in men’s bathrooms. Typically, these bins are used by women to dispose of period products such as pads and tampons, and are a regular feature of public facilities designed for women.

However, what is often overlooked is that there are many instances in which men might also require these sanitary bins. For example, trans men, non-binary individuals and genderqueer people who menstruate may also be using men’s bathrooms, and at present are left with no dignified and hygienic way to dispose of sanitary products.

Moreover, men with incontinence problems often rely on absorbent pads and specially designed underwear, and would benefit from having sanitary bins in the bathroom as a way of disposing of them. In 2022, World Cup-winning England rugby player Lewis Moody issued a call for sanitary disposal bins to become compulsory in male public bathrooms, based on his own personal experiences of dealing with incontinence during his playing career.

He told the Guardian: “As a sportsman, I was used to coping with injuries, but the humiliation of not always being in control was terrible. Not having places to dispose of incontinence underwear or pads in toilets makes the experience much worse than it needs to be.”

Environmental Considerations

In the absence of sanitary bins, individuals frequently resort to flushing sanitary products down the toilet, an environmentally destructive practice. These products are often crafted from a blend of plastic and other non-biodegradable materials. Contrary to any misconceptions, flushing them away doesn’t constitute ‘out of sight, out of mind’; the products remain very much a persistent problem.

The immediate consequence of this poor disposal method is its detrimental impact on our sewer systems. Flushed sanitary items can lead to serious blockages that disrupt the flow of wastewater. This results in an immediate need for expensive repairs and maintenance, burdening local councils and ultimately, the taxpayers. The ramifications extend to causing overflows during heavy rainfalls, leading to untreated sewage being discharged into our natural water systems.

This means the detrimental effects are not limited to our sewage infrastructure. A significant portion of flushed sanitary waste eventually infiltrates rivers, lakes and oceans. Once in these aquatic environments, the waste becomes a contributing factor to water pollution. Furthermore, marine animals are at significant risk. From turtles mistaking plastic for jellyfish to seabirds ingesting floating debris, the waste puts the health and survival of marine ecosystems in peril.

The scenario becomes even more worrisome when the long-term impacts are considered. Most sanitary items contain plastics that require hundreds, if not thousands, of years to fully decompose. When these items are flushed and not captured by waste management systems, they contribute to the ever-increasing plastic pollution besieging our planet. As these plastics slowly break down, they turn into microplastics, causing an even broader range of environmental problems, including ingestion by small marine organisms, thereby entering the food chain.

Our proposed solution, while not a cure-all remedy, is startlingly simple—install sanitary bins in men’s toilets. Such an initiative would serve as a powerful enabler for responsible waste management. By offering a designated disposal point, we not only facilitate proper waste management, but also take a concrete step towards reducing the environmental impact of sanitary waste. This small change could significantly curb the flow of these products into our sewers and natural water systems, mitigating their long-lasting environmental impact.

By focusing solely on the environmental aspects, one can see the necessity of this basic amenity in all public toilets, regardless of gender. The long-term benefits of such a measure are manifold, and crucial in our collective push towards more sustainable living practices.

A Call to Action

The necessity for sanitary bins in men’s toilets is long overdue. Any objections often hinge on the costs involved in installing and maintaining such amenities. These arguments fall flat when considered in the broader context of the cost to the public. We cannot sidestep crucial issues like waste management. The simple solution of sanitary bins allow us to essentially solve an issue that is already having grave consequences for our environment.

Incorporating sanitary bins into men’s toilets goes beyond promoting social inclusivity and gender equality; it directly addresses a looming environmental crisis. In tackling this issue, we accomplish a dual objective: we not only make public spaces more inclusive for marginalised communities, but also take a measurable step toward more responsible and sustainable waste management practices. This is no mere ‘women’s issue,’ but a pressing concern that has wide-reaching implications for all humans and the planet we inhabit. The time for debate is over. It’s time to act before irreversible damage is done.