Face-scanners in Beijing public toilet curb paper roll wastage

Automatic toilet paper dispensers using face scanners are put on trial at a public toilet in Beijing with the aim of reducing paper usage, a media report said on Monday.

The toilet is located at the Temple of Heaven Park, one of most popular tourism sites in Beijing, the People's Daily said in a report.

The park has provided free paper in its public toilets for 10 years but has reported seriously excessive use.

Six face scanning paper dispensers have been installed.

To receive paper, you have to stand in the facial detection area and be scanned for a few seconds. The machine dispenses paper of a certain length but to get more, users have to wait to use the scanner again.

Personnel have been stationed to show people how to use the new system, however, it still takes about half a minute for each person to receive paper, way longer than using a normal dispenser.

The machines will be trialed for about two weeks before going into official service depending on how they perform, the daily said in the report.

Paper use at the Temple of Heaven had already been decrease in the last two years despite growing numbers of tourists over the same period.

However, it is claimed, some people still lack paper use manners.

According to a toilet cleaner at the Temple of Heaven, some people take much more paper than needed and sometimes even take a whole roll away with them. Sometimes paper is used up in only 20 minutes.

The manager of the Temple of Heaven Park told the People's Daily that the paper has been overused mainly by residents who live around the neighbourhood instead of tourists; some people intentionally take paper here because it is free of charge.

--IANS

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