Boys Need Bins

Thank you for drawing my attention to the campaign being run by Prostate Cancer UK to raise awareness of the need for men and boys with incontinence to have access to sanitary waste bins. 

Since 2020, the Government has been working to update the building regulations and associated guidance around toilet provision. In 2022, a call for evidence around toilet provision was launched by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. 

Following this, I know that the Government is committed to undertaking further technical consultations on both of these workstreams in due course. When these consultations are concluded, responses will be considered before the next steps and any policy changes are announced. 

I am aware of Prostate Cancer UK's recently published report on the local and national provision of male sanitary bins. While the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is responsible for managing Building Regulations and Approved Documents for the provision of public toilets in accessible buildings, my understanding is that the current powers in the Building Act 1984 and Building Regulations 2010 cannot require sanitary bins in male toilets.

However, it is clear that local government can play a prominent role in expanding access to male sanitary bins for men with incontinence across the country. As such, I would be happy to write to my local authority to ask whether they would consider introducing male sanitary bins in public toilets in our area.