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"America's advocate for the availability of clean, safe, well designed public restrooms"

 

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Donations to the ARA are tax-exempt  under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code

 

 

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PUBLIC RESTROOM INITIATIVE spacer

Advocacy for the many people who hesitate to travel or who avoid outdoor activities that put them out of range of toilet facilities. The Public Restroom Initiative provides information about, and advocates for those who suffer any medical condition that causes them or a family member to frequently, or at times urgently, need to find a  toilet when away from home.  

 

Definitions

Restroom: a facility that provides at least one toilet and lavatory fixture. 

Public Restroom: a facility that provides at least one toilet and lavatory fixture for use by the general public

Building Restrooms: toilet facilities intended for employees, customers and building visitors.

Pay Toilet: a restroom that prevents use of at least the toilet fixture unless a fee is paid or a token is supplied.

'Toilet' and 'lavatory' definitions contained in the U.S. National Consensus Plumbing Codes

 

      INITIATIVE PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Mission Statement 
Media coverage of Initiative 

OVERVIEW
Who are the 'Restroom Challenged' ?
Problem Areas and Solutions
How Amenities benefit Society 
Support for public amenities can win votes

REGULATION AND GUIDELINES
Legislation, Code and Regulation
 
Public Guidelines
  
Outdoor Specific Guidelines  
Building Codes - Toilets for the Public 

General Support
 

PUBLICATIONS  
Publications

Media Coverage  
Restroom Articles
Anecdotes

Advocacy 
Discussion
Void Where Prohibited 
Restroom Locators

Portable Restroom Resources
Miscellaneous Toilet Information 
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Restroom Advertising
Restrooms in Parks, along Trails and in Public Space 

Restroom Advertising, offsetting cost by using 
Self Cleaning Public Toilets
 APT's 
Municipal Parking Restrooms 
Bicycle Commuters  

Help for the Duress Challenged
Fighting Back when denied access 

Stories and Anecdotes'  

Key Books: Void Where Prohibited 

Advocates, Advisors and Supporters

 

NATIONAL PUBLIC RESTROOM ISSUES:  

Transit/Transportation Drivers 
Toilet requirements of the Building Code 

As and Obstacle to Fitness/Obesity
Airline Passengers Plight

Jim Beam Workers Denied Access 
Public Heath based Regulation
 
   
Public Policy Project Plan 
   
Model Code 'Straw man'

 

REGIONAL PUBLIC RESTROOM ISSUES: 

Los Angeles Cnty CA - MTA.

Chicago IL - CTA
 

Maryland - Proposed Legislation for customer use of restrooms

New York City - Problem citizens and visitors to face finding amenities
(Draft)  

Wash DC   
Metrorail Station Restrooms
 
   
  Wash Post on PRI
The National Mall

 

The Public Restroom Initiative is endorsed by the
   Digestive Disease National Coalition 

 

IN THE NEWS...

"...This really is a cause that ties into our mission word for word  in regard to patients inflicted with these diseases. It's important to let the public know there are certain situations and diseases that require people to use the restroom unexpectedly...."

Robert J. Milanchus Crohn's and Colitis Foundation The Journal V65#15  

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Detroit  ...It's a major problem," said city Commissioner Dan Dwyer. "We spend a lot of time and energy promoting our downtown -- then when people get here, there's no place for them to use the bathroom. Most of our downtown events are geared toward families, and people who have small children need to be able to get to a bathroom quickly."  

The Detroit News "Visitors frustrated by lack of facilities spacer " 3/26/02

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New York City  ... In the early 1900s, the city accepted the need for public toilets in parks. ... By 1940, subway stations offered 1,676 public toilets that were inspected weekly.  But in the middle of the twentieth century, the state of the city's toilets plummeted... ...Currently, about 1,100 comfort stations are available in the city's 1,500 parks.. In the city's 468 subway stations, only 78 restrooms remain available to the public...

 Gotham Gazette "Public Toilets" 7/15/01 

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Beijing [China] has 7,700 public toilets scattered in streets, resident areas and scenic spots. An official with the city administration committee said that the ultimate objective of the government is to help travelers find toilets within an 8-minute walk in business areas...

China Economic Net "Beijing opens toilets in commercial units to relieve shortage" 7/21/04

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Philadelphia ... Director Goldsmith said ... restrooms are "not economically sensible," ... and "not a core service" such as public sanitation. Councilman DiCicco countered, "It IS public sanitation." Both men admitted that middle age had given them a new sense of urgency regarding urination. "At your advanced age of 57!" quipped Councilman David Cohen. "Think of it from my advanced age of 89."    ..."South Street, he said, is the city's second most visited tourist area ... "yet there are no public facilities available for all these tourists."

The Philadelphia Daily News "Potty daydreams ... Council takes aim at public-toilet issue"  3/25/04 

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Long Island, NY  ...clean public toilets are clearly a better option than people using the public as a toilet.... 

Letter to Newsday "Why the fear?"   Posted 4/18/04

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Chicago IL ...Merchants feel the brunt of the need. "There are always people asking where the public washrooms are on a daily basis,"... ... About once a year, village employees have explain the law to some merchants after people complain they were denied bathroom use...

Chicago Daily Herald 'At last, downtown Geneva visitors will have place to go' 8/7/03

 

Multimedia Files [ large files - expect download delay] 

Power Point Presentation   [Click Screen to advance slides]  
American Urogynecologic Society 23rd Annual Scientific Meeting
 by Ingrid Nygaard M.D. Univ. of Iowa   Oct 2002 Presentation to AUGS Board  
The New Toilet Civilization  

Audio/Video 
Acknowledgement of Restroom Success 
spacer   Mt Vernon Town Mtg 1/31/04  
TV Coverage Metrorail Restroom Initiative 
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TV Coverage Metrorail Restroom Policy Change spacer
  
TV Coverage Metrorail Automated Public Toilet spacer  
for broadband
TV Coverage Metrorail Automated Public Toilet
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From President George Bush spacer ... we want there to be a visitor's center that's worth going into. We want the toilets to flush.... ... so that the people, when it comes to using their own park, are able to do so in a comfortable way. 
White House Office of the Press Secretary 'Strengthening and Caring for America's National Parks'  8/15/03  


Photo Gallery


Initiative Support from other Advocacy Organizations 

The Digestive Disease National Coalition, 
Restroom Assoc Singapore Newsletter 
Item 6 - Recognition of  Initiative 
International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
 
Simon Foundation for Continence
 
National Association For Continence
 



Initiative Support from Individual Advocates

Professor Ingrid Nygaard M.D. Author 'Void Where Prohibited'  
Donnica Moore MD,  President, DrDonnica.com 

Laurie Couture, M.Ed.  President ChildAdvocate.org
 
Pearl Lewis, Founder, CCFA of Maryland and Maryland Patient Advocacy Group 

Bio's and Additional Supporters

 

PRESENTATIONS for the Public Restroom Initiative

American Urogynecologic Society 23rd Annual Scientific Meeting
 by Ingrid Nygaard M.D. Univ. of Iowa   Oct 2002 Presentation to AUGS Board  
 [Click Screen to advance slides] 


MEDIA COVERAGE that cites the Public Restroom Initiative 

In Ventura, Issue Comes to a Head Los Angles Times April 3, 2004 
At last, downtown Geneva visitors will have place to go 
Chicago Daily Herald 8/7/03
Visitors frustrated by lack of facilities
Detroit News Mar 26 '02
If You Have to Go, Perhaps Soon You Can Go on Metro
 
Washington Post  1/5/03
Going Downtown 
Pumper October 2002 P80
Mapping rest stops a growing art
Forever Young 7/11/02 [Canada]
Big Box stores and the lack of bathrooms downtown 
Sprawl-Busters 7/14/02
Advocacy for the Availability of Public Restrooms 
Dr. Donnica's News Alerts Center  9/25/2002

MEDIA COVERAGE - METRORAIL STATION RESTROOMS 
         
Stage 3 - Opening existing station restrooms 

Metro Glimpses a Flush of the Future   Washington Post  10/8/03
Metro looks at opening its restrooms
Mongomery Journal Aug 12 03
Metro's little-known amenities
  Common Denominator Jul 15 03
Empty Stalls - There's No Restroom for the weary,
  Editorial, The Journal May 28, 2003 
Metro sits tight on toilet policy
The Journal Vol 65 #101


MEDIA COVERAGE - METRORAIL STATION RESTROOMS 
           Stage 2 - Pilot Test of self cleaning restroom 

If You Have to Go, Perhaps Soon You Can Go on Metro Washington Post  1/5/03
No Subway Pit Stops
Video  WTTG-TV FOX5 News  !large file! 
D.C. Considers Public Subway Toilet
ABC News 1/23/03
Relief in Site Video  WJLA-TV ABC7 
1/6/03 source:/wjla/metro0123.rm
Metro System Considers First Public Toilet 
NEWS Channel 8  1/23/03
Station to Try Self-Cleaning Restroom  Washington Post
1/24/03 Pg B03
Metro examining public restrooms
  The Journal
Vol 65 #15
Metro restroom receives initial approval 
The Journal
Vol 65 #16
Relief is On the Way
Connection  Newspapers
2/5/03 
Trial-Run Toilet Planned For Metro Station
WUSA TV9  1/23/03
Metro Riders Get a Place to Go When Nature Calls
- WTOP 10/08/2003


MEDIA COVERAGE - METRORAIL STATION RESTROOMS 
          Stage 1 - Drumming up Public Support

Metro's Not-So-Sweet Smell of Success  Washington Post August 3, 2002; Page B01
Metro Pressured To Open Restrooms  WJLA-TV  ABC7 
7/6/02
Metro Passengers' Plight
Washington Post   7/6/02
Metro Asked To 'Let Our People Go Associated Press 
  via WTOP Radio 6/7/02
Public Restrooms Divide Agencies ... 
Urban Transport News  V30#16 P124
To Ride or Not to Ride. It's Not Just a Traffic Question   Mount Vernon Gazette 
8/7/02
Seeking Relief at the Metro  Mount Vernon Voice 
Vol2#1
Metro System Considers First Public Toilet 1/6/03  News Channel 8   [not online]
  


MEDIA COVERAGE - HISPANIC  

Banos publicos para la dignidad  La Nacion USA Vol XII #1055
Piden acceso a banos en Metro   Washington Hispanic
V14#8 3/8/03


SUPPORT ARTICLES & ANECDOTES

Search for a public bathroom became an odyssey humiliation The Onion V38#3
At last, relief is in sight as plush public potties open downtown
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Mar 2 '04
No Public Restroom
 Philadelphia Weekly 14 Nov 02
Reagan National Airport Diverts Plane

Meet Betty Roussos: A real person who had the condition

High Tech Bus with Restrooms  San Diego, CA.
Jan 29 '02
The Democratic 'Potty'
Washington Post Stories
dougUSA - Sorry, No Public Rest Rooms!

Urinary Incontinence:  Millions of Women Suffer In Silence

Moscow trying to flush out lack of toilets  Russia Journal Weekly 
6 May '02
Public restrooms in sad shape  Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Aug 26 '02
Miscellaneous

Go potty, go to jail
  World Net Daily 
Feb 15 '02
But Public Toilets seem to give Politicians the Willes 
www.nyc24.com V1 # 5
Public Toilets in New York  Gotham Gazette 15 July 01

 

LEGISLATION AND PUBLIC GUIDELINES

Federal Regulations and Guidelines

FEMA "Special Events Contingency Planning"  Toilets  Pgs 39-41  Jan 4, 01
FEMA "Special Events Contingency Planning"  Full Document  
OHSA Toilets at construction jobsites  29CFR1926.51(c)
  
OHSA Lavatories at places of employment  29CFR1926.51(f)(3)

OHSA Standards Interpretation and Compliance Letters

OHSA Field Sanitation. - 29CFR1928.110

MSHA 30 CFR 71.400 sanitary flush toilet facilities

White House Airline Passenger Fair Treatment Initiative


State and Local Codes

National Model Code for Building Toilet Availability 
Building Codes - Toilets for the Public
Building Codes - Toilets for the Public
Maryland 1987 Senate Bill 413  Public Use of Mercantile Toilet Facilities

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