WASHROOM
TICKING THE RIGHT BOXES
Hygiene has become our most pressing concern in all walks of life – including the washroom. But other issues such as equality, accessibility, sustainability and efficiency are also important, explains Essity’s Stuart Hands.
As a society our values and priorities are changing all the time. Before the advent of COVID-19 the issue of sustainability featured high on our list of concerns. A series of severe weather events plus the emergence of Extinction Rebellion pushed environmental issues to the top of our agendas, and companies around the world did everything they could to minimise the effects of their products and services on the world around us.
A few years earlier, the ‘Me Too’ movement served to highlight the gender equality issue. Meanwhile, our growing awareness of the non-binary nature of our population spawned a general shift towards tolerance and inclusivity. As a kinder society we gained more empathy for the less abled and developed a greater understanding of the issues they face on a daily basis.
Then of course the financial crisis of 2008 led to a general tightening of belts as we sought new ways of boosting efficiency and cutting costs. But in 2020, all these concerns paled into insignificance as COVID-19 changed our global landscape. Suddenly the issues of health, safety and hygiene became of paramount importance and this was reflected in businesses and public facilities everywhere - the washroom included.
When visiting a public washroom today it is easy to see what the current priorities are. Sinks are taped off, one-way- systems are in place and visitor numbers are limited to allow for social distancing. Hand hygiene is also heavily promoted with posters reminding us to wash our hands thoroughly.
But how have other powerful movements such as gender equality and sustainability changed the washroom over the years? Is it possible for a washroom to be hygienic, sustainable and inclusive all at the same time?
The equality issue has led to a growing trend for unisex washrooms, often as separate cubicles with their own hand-washing facilities since these make life easier for non-binary users. As the male-female roles become more aligned we have also seen an increase in the number of ‘parent and child’ and ‘family’ washrooms in place of ‘mother and baby’ facilities.
This greater focus on equality – coupled with our ageing population - has also led to greater empathy for the needs of the less abled. ‘Changing Places’ washrooms are now much more widely available and washroom systems in
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general have become easier to use. This makes them more accessible to everyone, including the elderly and frail.
Soap dispensers with a low push-force such as the Tork Foam Soap Dispenser and towel dispensers with a low pull force such as the Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel Dispenser are both examples of systems that put hand hygiene within easier reach of the less physically abled.
The recent focus on sustainability has also brought changes to the public washroom. Systems that reduce the amount of water being used such as waterless urinals, automatic taps and two-level flush systems are becoming more prevalent, as are hand towel and toilet tissue dispensers that reduce paper waste. Dispensers that naturally limit consumption by giving out one sheet of paper at a time such as the Tork SmartOne Toilet Paper Dispenser and the Tork PeakServe hand towel dispenser are both good examples.
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