Xi's Toilet Revolution

[eseum]

From the New York Times, an article on China's rating tourist toilets:

 

"One place that the government penalized last year was the Shenlong Gorge, a scenic area in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing known for its white-water rafting. Shenlong, which had been classified as 5A, the highest level in the five-tier ratings, was delisted last summer after inspectors conducted two undercover visits.

 

The National Tourism Administration said in a news release at the time that the Shenlong Gorge was a “prominent laggard of the toilet revolution, with messy toilet sanitation, filthy conditions, seriously bad odors and dirty toilet appliances.”

In response, the site closed for five days in August, partly to renovate its 12 restrooms and add soap and toilet paper dispensers. But as of this week, it was still unaccredited.

The number of visitors to Shenlong Gorge has slumped, and the management recently dropped the entrance fee to 80 renminbi, about $12, from 100 renminbi, said Liao Jiangwei, Shenlong’s general manager. He said that he was working to improve the site’s restrooms but that some of the government’s standards appeared to be subjective. “It is hard for us to judge if our own toilets are smelly or dirty,” Mr. Liao said."

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/world/asia/china-tourism-toilet-revolution.html

The wife and I are going back to Chongqing this weekend. We are planning a day trip to this area while there. Hopefully, the toilets are better than when this article was written. Luckily, I can still hold my breath for two minutes.

 

[Randy W]

It's all part of Xi's Toilet Revolution . . .

https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/10155860486244820/

Edited January 14, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Dennis143]

I would guess there'd have to be an attendent in every bathroom to ensure it's kept clean AND keeps the tissues stocked.

 

I always carried my own when I traveled to China. Is that still a necessity, Randy?

[Randy W]

I would guess there'd have to be an attendent in every bathroom to ensure it's kept clean AND keeps the tissues stocked.

 

I always carried my own when I traveled to China. Is that still a necessity, Randy?

 

They are still reluctant to leave any paper out where people can walk off with it, although I did see a full paper towel dispenser the other day.

 

Electric hand driers are becoming fairly common.

[Randy W]

T.P. is another matter - keep some (or just the paper towels) handy for an emergency. The hotels still usually just supply one roll at a time, so if your roll is running low, finish it off. I haven't seen one of the dispensers with the facial recognition system.

 

Yes, 2005 was a turning point as far as social media (at least for me). Most of my friends on facebook are people I knew from high school - I feel like I've gotten to know them MUCH better than I ever did back in high school days.

 

Dennis and I (along with Richard Riggio chef4u) were on Rob's Nanning Site before coming here.

Edited May 1, 2018 by Randy W (see edit history)

[eseum]

Been here since 4/30 but haven't made it to Shenlong yet. The wife is busy taking care of personal/family business. Hopefully we will actually get to do something fun, soon.

 

I have two packages of flushible wipes to use. I do find Chinese toilets to be abysmal in some places, and I grew up using outhouses at times.

[Randy W]

from the People's Daily on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PeoplesDaily/posts/1921426577909150

People's Daily, China added 4 new photos.

1 hr ·

Quote

Photos taken on May 7, 2018, shows a public #toilet in Fengtai District, Beijing has its walls covered by plants and flowers. (Photo/China News Service)

Edited January 14, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[eseum]

Never did make it to Shenlong so can't comment on the toilets there. I did go to Jindao Canyon Scenic Area which is similar in character to Shenlong. I am happy to say that the toilets there do not stink. They were very clean.

 

Jindao is a nice area to visit. It is a very narrow canyon cut through limestone, that has some karst features and others created by earthquakes. A friend of my wife took us there along with their daughter and son-in-law. They were a lot of fun to go with.

 

 

[Randy W]

from the SCMP

 

 

It’s not just Starbucks ... businesses across China are opening their toilets to the public

Thousands of companies agree to open their washrooms to the public as part of the nation’s ‘toilet revolution’ campaign

 

 

 

 

Under the deal, the buildings are required to put up a sign advertising the fact their toilets are open to the public, and must ensure they are well maintained and open for at least eight hours a day.

In return, the government agreed to pay each venue 1,000 yuan (US$156) a year to cover the cost of the upkeep.

. . .

A sign outside a government building in Zhengding county, Hebei province, reads, in English: “Inside the toilet opening to the outside world” under two lines of Chinese characters that state quite clearly, “Public toilet inside”.

Another, in Linhai, in Zhejiang, says in English: “Equipped with toilet opening”.

 

[Randy W]

A Toilet Revolution update - from Inkstone

 

60% - A ‘toilet revolution’ in rural China

Pit latrines are common in some poor regions in China. Photo: Handout

 

Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Index features a single, illuminating number that helps you make sense of China.

 

60%: clean toilet coverage in rural China.

 

Today, more than 60% of China’s rural population has access to “hazard-free” toilets, up from 45% in 2010, according to government data.

 

[Randy W]

from the Sixth Tone

 

Revolutionary Potties: China’s ‘Toilet Revolution,’ Five Years On

• Since 2015, officials have spent billions of yuan on a nationwide campaign to improve toilet and restroom quality. Did they get their money’s worth?

A villager walks past a slogan, reading, “If you want to get sick less, then we need a toilet revolution,” in Yucheng County, Henan province, April 23, 2010. IC

 

Quote

None of this is cheap: In 2019 alone, the central authorities set aside 7 billion yuan ($1 billion) for toilet projects, a number that doesn’t account for local spending. In urban areas, where the focus is on improving the tourism experience, restroom revolutionaries have spent lavishly on new facilities featuring everything from basic necessities like toilet paper and soap dispensers to self-cleaning toilets, flat-screen televisions, and even refrigerators. Government offices and state-affiliated organizations, including state-owned enterprises, have been encouraged to open their restrooms to the public.

One highlight of the urban toilet revolution is something called the Urban Public Toilet Cloud. Intended to leverage digital technology to increase accessibility, it deploys mobile geographic information system technology so UPTC app users can identify the nearest public toilet and sort nearby restrooms by toilet paper availability, baby changing station openings, and fees so they can be matched with the nearest bathroom that suits their individual needs. On the back end, the cloud system aids local operators by generating real-time reports on air quality, humidity, and odor levels.

 

Elsewhere, analytics have been used to tailor restroom designs based on expected demand. For example, after statistics showed women’s restrooms should be at least 50% larger than men’s, more female toilets were added into the national program. Catering to the specific needs of tourists, urban restroom designers have added features meant to nudge consumption, such as free Wi-Fi, ATMs, and phone charging stations.

 

Edited January 14, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

from CGTN on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/565225540184937/posts/5629939857046788/

Quote

 

The environment in rural areas of China has improved significantly over the past five years due to the nationwide toilet revolution and garbage disposal campaign, according to China's rural authority on Wednesday.

Zeng Yande, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said that so far nationwide, over 68 percent of rural bathrooms have been upgraded, while over 90 percent of the administrative villages are equipped with domestic waste disposal facilities.

[amberjack1234]

For me, this is great news.