File photo: Ganzarolisara, Pixabay.
Greater freedom and dignity is at the heart of a waste disposal trail about to be rolled out to the Eurobodalla’s busiest public toilets.
Sanitary bins for women are a familiar sight in shared public toilets but for men and women who rely on continence products for their day to day life, these bins don’t do the job.
Eurobodalla councillors have unanimously backed a trial of new sanitary bins designed to handle and safely dispose of the larger more complex needs involved with male and female continence care.
In response to a suggestion by Cr Pat McGinlay, the new bins will be placed in 15 of the shire’s unisex accessible toilets.
Councillors agreed that Eurobodalla’s ageing population should feel comfortable and have enough room and privacy to change their continence products in the shire’s public amenities blocks.
At an estimated annual cost of $3,150, the bins will be in place before the end of the year.
Cr McGinlay who was presented with the need and the solution at the Australian Local Government Assembly in Canberra, says “People don’t go out fearing the consequences, these special bins for adult continence pads allow for more freedom and dignity.”
“I’d love this to not just help people in our shire but be seen as a need other shires can easily address so we can normalise the service and bring comfort to people.”
The sanitary bins will be installed in the following accessible toilets:
- Batemans Bay Foreshore (Clyde Street);
- Surf Beach Reserve;
- Batehaven Corrigans Playground Reserve;
- Mogo (Tomakin Road);
- Broulee Surf Club;
- Moruya Riverside Park;
- Moruya Apex Park;
- Tuross Head Sandy Point;
- Tuross Head Evans Road;
- Bodalla Hall;
- Narooma Visitor Information Centre;
- Narooma Rotary Park;
- Narooma Quota Park;
- Narooma (Canty Street);
- Central Tilba (Bate Street).
An awareness campaign will be launched as the bins are installed and councillors will hear the outcomes of the trial in May next year before deciding on any future budget allocations.
Resident and visiting men are seen as a group who will especially benefit.
“It’s clear that the lack of sanitary disposal bins in men’s toilets is a widespread problem across Australia, but immediate change can happen when communities work together,” says CEO of the Continence Foundation, Rowan Cockerell.
The Foundation says the prevalence of incontinence is estimated at 10 to 15 per cent in Australian men, which increases up to 20 to 30 per cent in men over 70.
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