Cleanliness efforts to be stepped up as coffee shop toilets remain below standards

SINGAPORE: Authorities have stepped up enforcement action on public toilet cleanliness this year, but they warned that hygiene standards at coffee shop restrooms remain inadequate.

Between Jan 1 and Nov 15 this year, enforcement action was taken against coffee shop owners for such lapses in 902 instances, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Coffee shops account for almost three-quarters of the total 1,253 enforcement actions taken against premise owners that include eateries and transport nodes.

The overall number is triple the actions taken in the same period last year.

Ten coffee shops were also suspended for toilet-related offences – a jump from a single suspension each in 2022 and 2023.

The recently set up Public Toilets Taskforce told CNA it will release recommendations in the first quarter next year, addressing key areas including the design, cleaning and audit of public restrooms.

Doctors said an unclean toilet poses risks like the spread of salmonella bacteria or skin irritation and infection, especially at places where people gather and consume food.

“If you go to the toilet, you don't sanitise your hands (and) after that, you go on to consume food – there's a higher chance of you getting gastrointestinal diseases,” said Dr Daniel Soong, director of Unihealth Medical.

He added that while risks of transmission are generally low as visits are often transient, people should take hygiene seriously to protect themselves and others.

HOW INSPECTIONS ARE CARRIED OUT

NEA carries out surprise spot checks on hawker centre toilets, while similar checks at coffee shop toilets are done by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

Inspectors check for loose litter on the ground, if the bins are overflowing, if amenities such as taps and flushing apparatus work, if doors lock properly, if soap and toilet paper are sufficient, and for water stains on the floor.

NEA inspection officer Ivan Yap said the area around the sink is usually the wettest as users tend to flick water on the ground after washing their hands.  

“It’s actually a very bad habit. It will cause a lot of water marks on the floor, (cause) slip (and) falls, and in the long run it might cause a permanent stain on the ground as well,” he told CNA as he carried out a check on the toilets at Sembawang Hills Food Centre.

He found their state satisfactory, but added that in the event of any issues, “we will inform the premise owner or operators on the lapses observed and we will follow up with an email to them …with photos and say that there will be enforcement action taken against them, (if any)”.

Operators must fix anything faulty or broken like hand dryers and soap dispensers by a given deadline.

If they do not do so, they can be slapped with fines up to S$5,000 (US$3,700).

PUBLIC TOILETS GOT DIRTIER IN 2024

A team at Singapore Management University (SMU) also found that coffee shop toilets across the nation have gotten dirtier over the past year.

Coffee shop toilets have been below the passing mark in all four editions of the study that started in 2016, ranking far below those in shopping centres, train stations and hawker centres.

Members of the public whom CNA spoke to agreed with the findings, with some saying they avoid using the restrooms at coffee shops.

One said she has not had a good experience there, facing issues like slippery floors and a lack of toilet paper.

Another said: “I don't really visit the toilets at coffee shops because I'm afraid that it'll be dirty. Sometimes, there are used toilet papers around the toilet bowls or used sanitary pads.”

The study also found that almost half of Singaporeans surveyed expressed a willingness to pay to use toilets if cleanliness could be guaranteed.

Of those willing, eight in 10 were open to paying 10 to 30 cents, while four in 10 were willing to fork out 50 cents to over S$1 for a better experience.

SMU principal lecturer of statistics Rosie Ching, who was behind the study, said the results will be shared with key partners with hopes that more collective action can be taken.

TECH FOR TOILETS

One coffee shop bucking the trend is located at 510 Chai Chee Lane.

Last month, it became the first coffee shop toilet to be rated five stars by the Restroom Association Singapore (RAS), which advocates clean washrooms for all.

Under its certification programme, public toilets are given grades of three to six stars, based on considerations like cleanliness and amenities available.

The coffee shop’s operators said they turned to tech to make monitoring its toilets easier.

They poured in S$80,000 to spruce up their restrooms, including a feedback panel that allows users to alert staff when the floors are wet or when the soap runs dry.

“With all this tech, it helps. I don't need to keep asking my staff to go in and check whether there's toilet paper, if the floor is not clean… what's run out, etc,” said Ben Yeo, co-owner of Tan Xiang Chai Chee coffee shop.

“We don't have the luxury like hotels or malls that have manpower. With all this, they help us to cut down on manpower just for cleaning the toilet.”

The coffee shop's toilet also features hanging plants and aroma diffusers, with music playing in the background. There are plans to include smart bidets in future.

GUIDELINES AND EDUCATION

RAS executive director Sandeep Khanna said the association is also coming up with new guidelines for toilets in coffee shops, in tandem with SFA, to improve basic elements such as making the space much brighter and smell better.

“These guidelines have been developed keeping in mind the specific realities and challenges of coffee shops and how we can take them one step forward at a time,” he added.

The association aims to roll them out by the third quarter of next year.

It is also working with partners to make smart technology such as sensors more affordable for coffee shops, along with creating tailored training for cleaning staff.

“Beyond the certification … we need to design bespoke and customised training programmes for them so that they can do their job better,” he said.

The Public Hygiene Council, which was formed in 2011 to raise standards of cleanliness and hygiene in Singapore, said education is another crucial factor for cleaner facilities.

This year, it piloted a toilet cleanliness module at two primary schools to help students learn the importance of good washroom etiquette and how to keep them clean.

"We really are trying to inculcate this good, positive behaviour from a very young age, so these children know the basics of how to keep toilets clean and they can go home and tell their family members as well,” said Dr Christina Liew, the council’s executive director.

It plans to bring the module to another 15 schools next year.