The Shanghai Public Sanitation Bureau said Sunday it will build more star-grade toilets in downtown areas to provide more convenience to locals and visitors. However, the move may not cover public toilets in office buildings and department stores.

Toilets have been listed as one of the 10 major sanitation projects for 2004, said Liu Weiguang, a bureau spokesman.

At least two-star toilets will be opened in each district this year, mostly located in downtown areas such as People's Square, Nanjing Road and Xujiahui, providing hygienic in-town facilities.

Other pay toilets are required to meet a service standard, such as installing deodorant equipment, extending the service time at night and providing special care for the disabled and women with babies, Liu said.

Some district public sanitation administrations have already embarked on efforts to improve the service at public toilets and recycle sewage.

In Pudong New Area alone, the local government will build two environment-friendly toilets where advanced technology is applied to recycle sewage on site. It saves extra work in transporting sewage to suburban landfill sites for further treatment.

Although there are around 2,200 public toilets, including some coin-operated mobile toilets, around the city, sometimes it is difficult to find one when needed.

Addressing this problem, the bureau has required toilets in public venues, such as shops and office buildings, to open to the public either free or with a toll.

However, toilets in roadside shops or buildings mostly offer sitting toilets instead of the squat variety, which worries some users, especially women, over the hygienic problems.

"I'd rather use public toilets than those in my office building as the former are cleaner," said a woman surnamed Wu."I feel sick thinking that someone who uses the toilets may have a venereal disease."

"I scrub the seat with tissues every time before I use it," said another woman.

Both admitted they squat on the seat to avoid direct contact.

Meanwhile doctors suggest the possibility of contracting disease via a public toilet seat cannot be ruled out.

Liu recommended using government-funded public facilities where toilets are designed according to Chinese people's habit, meaning the squat type.

"Toilets in public venues are not in our direct control but are in the charge of property management companies of each building," Liu said.

"If any sanitary problems are found in a toilet they operate, they will probably receive penalty from the government," the bureau spokesman said.

(China Daily February 16, 2004)