What is the war on wee?

Public urination has long been a nuisance in the United Kingdom, as it is in many other countries. But it’s really gotten worse in the last few years, and that’s down to the Covid-19 crisis in particular. British authorities decided to close public toilets for hygiene reasons.

And that’s actually exacerbated a longer-term trend, which has seen around 50% of public toilets closed in the last decade, according to the managing director of the British Toilet Association, as quoted by The Guardian.  And public toileting is actually a health problem in itself. After all, urine can erode buildings and create pollution. It’s prompted cities around the world to clamp down, in a phenomenon media outlets have playfully labelled the “war on wee”.

What are authorities doing to deter people? What creative solutions have been seen? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 30/6/2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices