“Boys need bins” in Portsmouth
Portsmouth City Council supports Prostate Cancer UK’s “boys need bins” campaign by providing sanitary bins in men’s toilets
Portsmouth City Council supports Prostate Cancer UK’s “boys need bins” campaign by providing sanitary bins in men’s toilets.
Following a call to action by councillors Ryan Brent and Lewis Gosling in October last year, sanitary bins will be put in toilets owned by the council.
The “Boys Need Bins” campaign by Prostate Cancer UK calls for more inclusive sanitary waste disposal for men, which includes incontinence pads, stomas, and catheters.
The charity claims that men with incontinence feel anxious and stressed about the challenges they face in public. This can have physical and mental impacts, resulting in them leaving their homes less often.
The policy will introduce one bin in all men’s toilets provided by the council with associated stickers. Council departments will make their own arrangements to provide bins at a further 103 sites.
Businesses in the city will also be encouraged to adopt this approach by the council’s economic development team and Shaping Portsmouth.
Councillor Steve Pitt, leader of the council, said his administration was happy to have the campaign brought to its attention.
Councillor Hugh Mason added: “I’ve talked to a lot of people in my vintage about this and what I’ve found is that around the country there are a large number of gentlemen who are very envious of Portsmouth going down this route.
“Providing something which will give the older citizens especially a greater degree of mobility, a greater freedom to move around the city and a much greater quality of life.”
Providing at least one sanitary bin in all men’s public toilets would cost around £1,155 per year. This money would have to come from the current public conveniences budget.
For the 103 council-owned male-only toilet sites, it’s estimated to be around £5,720. The council departments in charge would have to cover this expense.
Additionally, there are 437 other sites and businesses that would need to make their own arrangements for sanitary bins through their cleaning providers.