According to a new set of rules which will come into effect on September 1, those who are caught spitting, leaving graffiti, littering, smoking or missing the toilet bowl and failing to clean up after themselves in public restrooms in Shenzhen will face a 100 yuan fine, Yangcheng Evening News reports.
The Shenzhen City Public Toilet Management Act will authorize members of staff at the places of business and government buildings that house the bathrooms to issue the punishment, a policy which has of course met with skepticism about the effectiveness with which it can be enforced.
Shenzhen has the lowest proportion of public toilets to residents of any major city in China, and this has had some negative consequences. But when given the right to enforce the new fine, businesses and public buildings are expected to let the public use their toilets more often.
The local government will take over responsibility of these toilets, and make sure there is a reasonable proportion of female to male toilets, an issue that has caused a stir in recent years.
Green building materials, energy-efficient lighting systems, and water-saving technology are all required to be used in the construction of public toilets, according to the new set of rules.