At today's Cabinet meeting, Premier Lin Chuan instructed government agencies to lend full support for the Environmental Protection Administration's (EPA) public restroom improvement plan, an effort he said would improve public sanitation and enhance Taiwan's image.
In remarks following the EPA's report on improving restroom facilities to benefit tourism quality, the premier said a clean environment and good public sanitation are the marks of an advanced nation, and public restrooms are what make the first impression on tourists to Taiwan. He instructed agencies to set aside funding for renovations of old public restrooms and more frequent cleanings.
The EPA reported that Taiwan currently has 36,000 public restrooms, of which 7,000 fall short of the highest rating, mainly due to years of disrepair, shortage of cleaning manpower, and lack of funding for maintenance and management. To have quality public restrooms comparable to those in Europe, the U.S. and Japan, government agencies should begin with heavily trafficked restrooms such as at transportation hubs and tourist sites. The agencies should improve the software and hardware facilities of public restrooms under their jurisdiction, strengthen management, and schedule more frequent cleanings. These plans should also include job opportunities for middle-aged and older workers.
Additionally, the EPA is working to improve bathroom etiquette by encouraging people to throw toilet paper into the toilet rather than in a trash bin. All of these efforts will improve the tourism industry and create a better environment, which in turn will draw more international tourists and enhance Taiwan's image as a quality destination.