News from the Beijing Municipal Administrative Committee and Xicheng District Bureau of Environmental Hygiene said, from December 15 on, all toilets in work units in Yuetan Street of Xicheng District, as an experimental site, will be open free of charge to the public for the first time.

News from the Beijing Municipal Administrative Committee and Xicheng District Bureau of Environmental Hygiene said, from December 15 on, all toilets in work units in Yuetan Street of Xicheng District, as an experimental site, will be open free of charge to the public for the first time. Also according to officials of the Beijing Municipal Administrative Committee, once conditions have matured, all toilets in Beijing’s organizations expect to be open to the public for free.

As a government measure, citizens expressed their welcome, even delight, even though there were mixed feelings about the change.

According to the principal of a restaurant nearby Hepingmen area, the restaurant is opposite a bus stop, with many citizens waiting for the bus, and if the toilet is open to the public, it will cause much inconvenience.

Feedback from the Xicheng District Bureau of Environmental Hygiene said that when the subject was discussed with some work units for example hotels and restaurants, they held the opinion that they will never say no to those who want to use their toilets. But they cannot take a rule on board as otherwise the restaurant will become a public convenience.

Xicheng District Bureau of Environmental Hygiene took into consideration opinions of work units. They will put forward some measures for opening toilets in work units, on the condition of benefiting citizens and keeping the working order of relevant work units.

Related officials from Beijing Municipal Administrative Committee declared they would study the status quo for opening toilets in work units of the Yuetan Street area. Once the Yuetan Street area succeeds, successive experiences expect to put into practice throughout Beijing. At that time, all toilets in work units will be open to the public for free.

(China.org.cn by Wang Ruyue and Daragh Moller, December 2, 2003)