Bins for Boys!! Is there a need? Women are used to visiting public toilets and expect to find a bin for sanitary products. So why is there a need for men’s toilets to have them too?
Our volunteers recently took part in a Shropshire Community Connectors meeting and heard Miranda Ashwell, LiveLife Project Lead at Lingen Davies give a very useful presentation on Bins for Boys. So what is it and why is it needed?
Bins for Boys is an initiative aimed at addressing the lack of sanitary bins in male toilets in public places. This issue particularly affects men who experience incontinence due to conditions like prostate cancer or other health issues. This is a National campaign aiming to provide sanitary bins in men’s toilets at community venues such as cafes, pubs, restaurants, and public toilets, making it easier for men to dispose of their sanitary waste discreetly and hygienically.
The initiative is driven by the understanding that while women are accustomed to finding sanitary bins in public toilets, men often face challenges in finding appropriate disposal options. Men use incontinence products the same as women, and they are not exempt from having a stoma bag or other medical conditions that requires essential places to dispose of sanitary waste. It is a fact everyone should have access to bins for sanitary products. Research has found, the lack of bins in male toilets can lead to men suffering from anxiety, embarrassment, and it can prevent men from leaving their homes to engage in everyday activities.
This campaign encourages community venues to become “Bins for Boys” locations by providing sanitary bins in their male toilets and to promote these venues to help men find them. Lingen Davies charity is leading the campaign in Shropshire. The first town to fully embrace this initiative is Bishops Castle, where many venues have joined the campaign.
How does it work? Public places are approached to have Bins for Boys in the male toilets but businesses can also use the contact sheet on the Lingen Davies website to sign-up to the scheme. The bin is provided by the business and the owners agree to empty the bin regularly. Lingen Davies provide the stickers for the bins and a sticker to go on the door leading to the toilets. See the picture below. Lingen Davies also have a map identifying where “Bins for Boys” are available in Shropshire.
If you’re interested in supporting the campaign or finding a Bins for Boys venue, you can look for stickers at venue entrances, toilet doors, cubicles, and on the bins themselves.
You can learn more about the campaign and how to get involved on the Lingen Davies website. Bins For Boys – Lingen Davies
The response to the Bins for Boys initiative has been overwhelmingly positive.
Safe Places Shropshire has made a commitment to support Bins for Boys. We will do this by identifying which of our Safe Places in Shropshire have signed-up to having Bins for Boys and will note it on their entry on our website. We will also give the Shropshire leaflets to any places that we visit that has public toilets to encourage them to join the scheme.
Who else supports Bins for Boys?
- Prostate Cancer UK has been actively involved in the campaign, reaching over 95% of MPs in the UK to raise awareness about male incontinence and the need for sanitary bins. They have also launched a report titled “Lifting the lid on male incontinence” to highlight the scale of the issue1.
- Tackle Prostate Cancer has joined forces with Prostate Cancer UK and Bladder Health UK to support the Boys NEED Bins initiative. They are campaigning for legislation to ensure male hygiene bins are provided in male toilets, addressing the needs of men who are incontinent or wear stomas.
- The campaign has received media attention, with interviews and stories highlighting the challenges men face when disposing of incontinence pads in public. This has helped raise awareness and encourage more venues to join the initiative.
- Lingen Davies has successfully implemented the Bins for Boys initiative in Bishops Castle, making it the first town to fully embrace the campaign. Many venues in the town have joined the initiative, providing sanitary bins in their male toilets and promoting their participation to help men find these facilities.
Overall, the Bins for Boys initiative has made significant strides in raising awareness, gaining support, and improving the lives of men who experience incontinence. The campaign continues to grow, with more venues and organisations joining the cause to ensure men have access to sanitary bins in public places.