The British Toilet Association (BTA) has made national and international news with managing director Raymond Martin being interviewed by over 50 sources from the UK and world news media about all aspects of public toilet provision and cleaning.
It started when Martin was quoted in an article by The Sunday Times on 24 May about the future of public conveniences following the Coronavirus pandemic. He stated that the BTA had been continuously giving advice and guidance to councils and companies about keeping public conveniences safe during the pandemic, with the continued need for the safety and health of all users. It was even predicted that it could well lead to a transformation in future provision, he told the newspaper.
He told the paper that a range of new measures may need to be instigated around urinals and washbasins to enforce social distancing and thereby reduce the risk of Coronavirus transmission between users, perhaps leading to many public toilets featuring individual cubicles and being upgraded to non-gender specific units. He also alluded to other measures that might be designed or installed to stop the spread of the disease, ranging from foot-operated or electronic flushes, self-closing seats and integral sanitizing systems.
Martin told the Sunday Times that publicly accessible toilets had always played a vital role in our nation’s health and well-being, social inclusion, equality and, as was very evident recently, a desperate need for public decency and dignity.
Raymond Martin was quoted by the paper as saying: "It's going to require a structured approach and careful planning to improve and sustain these essential facilities and the BTA is ready and willing to support a Government strategy. If we want to get our local economies re-established and flourishing, fully supporting our increasing visitor and tourist numbers and allowing everyone to safely visit our villages, towns, cities, parks, and beaches, then the Government has to step in, bringing back life and stability to this country. We believe firmly that publicly accessible toilets are a vital building block of that vision."
www.btaloos.co.uk