Telescopic toilet explained

A telescopic toilet, retractable toilet, or pop-up toilet, is a type of toilet which is stored underground and then raised (usually hydraulically) above ground when in use.[1] [2] [3]

A very common type of telescopic toilet is a telescopic urinal, and they have often been employed at nighttimes or on weekends to discourage street urination.

History

Telescopic toilets were first invented and installed in the Netherlands in the form of telescopic urinals.[4] In 2002 they were introduced in London for night time use, with more being installed in 2012.[5] By 2014 there were over 200 across Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.[6] In 2016 the first female telescopic toilet was introduced in Amsterdam.

In 2014 a telescopic urinal shot up out of the ground due to a gas explosion, injuring the nearby system manager; usage of telescopic urinals was halted for a while, and then resumed. In 2023 a maintenance worker was crushed to death by a telescopic urinal on Shaftesbury Avenue in London when it fell suddenly on him,[7] [8] and a second telescopic urinal was subsequently shut.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: London's West End: Man crushed by telescopic urinal dies . BBC News . 8 February 2023 . 27 January 2023.
  2. Web site: UriLift Triple: retractable unit featuring 3 self-sanitising gents’ urinals . Pop-up Toilet Company . 8 February 2023.
  3. Web site: Amsterdam is home to the world’s first retractable female toilet . DutchNews.nl . 8 February 2023 . 25 March 2016.
  4. Web site: Freeman . Colin . The loo that rises out of the ground . Evening Standard . 8 February 2023 . en . 12 April 2012.
  5. Web site: Street toilets go telescopic . 8 February 2023 . 1 November 2002.
  6. Web site: Explosion may have caused pop-up urinal to elevate . DutchNews.nl . 8 February 2023 . 1 December 2014.
  7. Web site: Hanlon . Tim . Man crushed to death by pop-up urinal when it 'fell quite suddenly' onto him . mirror . 16 February 2023 . en . 9 February 2023.
  8. Web site: Workman crushed to death by ‘telescopic urinal’ in horrific accident in central London yards from Harry Potter theatre . LBC . 8 February 2023 . en.
  9. Web site: London's West End: Second telescopic urinal shut after man dies . BBC News . 8 February 2023 . 28 January 2023.

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