The Toilet Alliance calls on the forming parties to take action!

It is Accessibility Week. A good moment for the Toilet Alliance to draw attention to the large shortage of public toilets in the Netherlands.

There are too many people who suffer from the shortage of public toilets. Did you know that...

🚽 ... 1/3 of the Dutch say that their quality of life suffers because of the lack of toilets?

🚽 ... 1/5 regularly stay at home for fear of not finding a toilet on the road?

In addition, a poll conducted by the MAX Opinie Panel among 3000 participants shows that...

🚽 ... 2/5 have had wet trousers or worse for lack of a proper toilet.

🚽 ... 2/3 are guilty of urinating or defecating in the open in the absence of a proper accessible toilet.

🚽 ... 48% feel restricted in their movement by the lack of accessible toilets.

🚽 ... 83% believe there is a shortage of public toilets.

🚽 ... 81% find it very difficult to find public toilets.

The figures don't lie; people in the Netherlands experience (too) much discomfort because of the shortage of toilets. Not a bad conclusion, considering that being able to go to the toilet in an emergency is a basic need of every person. What is remarkable is that the public toilet supply in the Netherlands is so poorly arranged. Especially since urinating and defecating in the wild in our country can lead to a hefty fine. People who suffer most from this include pregnant women, the elderly, people who wear a stoma, have a weak bladder or suffer from another physical condition such as Crohn's disease or Colitis Ulcerosa. They are particularly severely restricted in their movement, which in some cases leads to isolation and loneliness. This is contrary to the UN Convention on Disability that was signed and ratified by the state 5 years ago.

It can be done differently

In the 5 years since the UN Convention on Disability was signed, municipalities have not yet succeeded in meeting the toilet standards. Municipalities such as Utrecht and Rotterdam are now striving to meet this standard following pressure from their city councils. "We are very happy about this," says Bernique Tool, founder of the Toilet Alliance and director of the Maag Lever Darm Stichting. "But two thirds of the municipalities don't even have a toilet policy. That's why we say: include the standard in the law, hold municipalities to it but also give them money to be able to meet it." Also 9 out of 10 of the MAX Opinie Panelleden believe that municipalities should be obliged by law to provide sufficient public toilets. In this way municipalities would be obliged to meet the standard, but they would also get the financial support needed to do this properly and to be able to guarantee the toilet facility and designation in the future.  

This is certainly not a strange request. In countries like Singapore, Japan and New Zealand, you won't be short of an accessible and hygienic public toilet. This is already the case here. Many other countries also have much better toilet facilities than the Netherlands. In France, for example, even the smallest villages have a public toilet as standard. When visiting countries like Sweden, Norway and Denmark, you don't have to worry about doing your business in the bushes either. There, you will find a public toilet on almost every corner.  

Three requests to forming parties

The Toilet Alliance makes the following three requests in an appeal to forming parties: 


🧻1️ - Incorporate the drafted toilet standards into the law.

🧻2️ - Make sufficient funds available to municipalities for the implementation of adequate toilet policies (think about the installation of enough wheelchair-accessible, hygienic toilet units, their maintenance and designation).

🧻3 - Requiring regional trains to all be equipped with a toilet within 3 years.


This creates a strong basis in the Netherlands for an accessible, inclusive toilet landscape.

Related articles on this topic

Toilet Alliance news article: Call on forming parties: make the Netherlands more accessible with more public toilets

▶️ News article Het Parool: Toiletalliantie wil norm public toilets in law establish: 'Fear now keeps people at home '.

Place and municipality(+/-)Points 2023
1. West Maas and Waal282791
2. Amersfoort41767
3. Veere-2750
4. Utrecht-2744
5. Alkmaar-1721
6. Hattem240718
7. Nunspeet19715
8. Amsterdam0714
9. Roosendaal0712
10. Culemborg34707
11. Vught-4705
12. Oude IJsselstreek22698
13. Schiermonnikoog-10693
14. Assen-4692
15. Texel7689
16. Gooi Lakes-2684
17. Roermond-11684
18. Gorinchem-6678
Heerlen 19.148678
20. Leiden-1677
21. Tynaarlo-4676
22. Beesel2675
23. Dordrecht-3675
24. Valkenburg aan de Geul-9675
25. Baarn21674
26. West Betuwe10672
27. Schouwen-Duiveland33670
28. Steenbergen300669
29. Waalwijk-16669
30. Goeree-Overflakkee1667
31. Vlieland-8667
32. Zwolle0667
33. Parent-Amstel6666
34. Rotterdam-29665
35. Heeze-Leende-8664
36. Nieuwkoop45663
37. Delft108660
38. Goes-9659
39. Opsterland-4653
40. Oldenzaal-7650
41. Ermelo45646
42. North Beveland0646
43. Venray-15646
44. Zwijndrecht22646
45. Achtkarspelen-5645
46. Rheden109644
47. Land of Cuijk5642
48. Losser-37642
49. Laren261641
50. Noordwijk-32640
51. Beverwijk-14639
52. Enkhuizen-11639
53. Druten-32638
54. Zandvoort5638
55. Lock-7637
56. Terschelling-3633
57. Woerden-32629
58. Middelburg-8625
59. Ameland-3622
60. Meierijstad1622
61. Tholen268622
62. Harderwijk-46619
63. Houses162617
64. Velsen-26617
65. Elburg-20614
66. Maastricht64614
67. Oostzaan3614
68. Weert-21614
69. Arnhem-20612
70. Opmeer-13612
71. Hollands Kroon81611
72. Hardinxveld-Giessendam-18610
73. Apeldoorn-8609
74. Tytsjerksteradiel33609
75. Southplas-17609
76. Nederweert-46608
77. Hellendoorn63607
78. Bernheze-16605
79. Rhenen-8605
80. Rijswijk-25604
81. Harlingen-18602
82. Pijnacker-Nootdorp27602
83. Tilburg-19600
84. Uitgeest18599
85. Asten-16598
86. Alphen aan den Rijn-19595
87. Winterswijk-9595
88. Eemnes-13591
89. Aalten-21590
90. The Hague-13588
91. Terneuzen90588
92. Westerveld-12587
93. Weststellingwerf-9587
94. Boxtel-22583
95. Cranendonck-13581
96. Uithoorn-22580
97. Westland-24577
98. Soest-47576
99. Flushing23576
100. Zeewolde6576
101. Leiderdorp-3570
102. Northeast Polder-12564
103. Waterland-8564
104. Son and Breugel0562
105. Eaststellingwerf95559
106. Sudwest-Fryslan31553
107. Maassluis34552
108. Utrecht Hill Ridge23552
109. Wormerland-12551
110. Woudenberg58551
111. Leeuwarden1550
112. Vaals-11549
113. Gouda35548
114. Schagen-9547
115. Zutphen-22546
116. Valkenswaard50545
117. Noardeast-Fryslan-29543
118. Bodegraven-Reeuwijk-39540
119. Nijkerk-27540
120. Breda27539
121. Rijssen-Holten7539
122. Den Helder-14537
123. Hengelo-36537
124. Waadhoeke-28537
125. Leidschendam-Voorburg-31530
126. Deventer-8529
127. Groningen-3527
128. Northfield-7524
129. Wijdemeren-38521
130. Pigeons-14519
131. Dantumadiel207516
132. De Fryske Marren-22
133. Haarlemmermeer-6516
134. Overbetuwe-19516
135. Heerenveen-32515
136. Bunschoten-3510
137. Horn1510
138. Medemblik12509
139. Nieuwegein126508
140. Zaltbommel19506
141. Almelo48505
142. Kapelle0505
143. Wijchen-60505
144. Zoeterwoude25505
145. Voorschoten-26503
146. Haarlem-46502
147. Oisterwijk48502
148. Amstelveen25501
149. Heerde-32501
150. Doesburg-39500
151. Gulpen-Wittem-12499
152. Hilversum-38499
153. Woensdrecht-24499
154. Eindhoven0497
155. Epe-56497
156. Doetinchem-24494
157. Vijfheerenlanden131494
158. Kampen-23493
159. Maasgouw-13492
160. The Hogeland19487
161. Heemstede-41484
162. Ridderkerk40483
163. Lisse-12482
164. Leusden71481
165. Oosterhout-9479
166. Steenwijkerland-30477
167. Voorst-24475
168. Ems Delta31474
169. Ede-7473
170. Echt-Susteren-7470
171. Nuenen, Gerwen and Nederwetten-46470
172. Bunnik13469
173. Dongen-50469
174. Berg and Dal19467
175. Dinkelland-49464
176. Middle Drenthe-32464
177. Wells-5464
178. Nijmegen19463
179. Peel and Maas53463
180. Castricum-4461
181. Smallingerland3461
182. Bergen op Zoom-48460
183. Geldrop-Mierlo3460
184. Oss106460
185. Zaanstad-3460
186. Reusel-De Mierden-11457
187. Landsmeer-17456
188. Hilvarenbeek111455
189. Olst-Wijhe-12455
190. Alblasserdam-12454
191. Veenendaal-3452
192. Best-12450
193. Bergen (L.).36446
194. Barendrecht12442
195. Dalfsen42442
196. Purmerend19440
197. Borger-Odoorn-6438
198. Lelystad-8438
199. Sliedrecht-39437
200. Stichtse Vecht-13437
201. De Ronde Venen0436
202. Meppel-6436
203. Oldambt15431
204. Hardenberg43429
205. Ommen25429
206. Gilze and Rijen-41426
207. Waddinxveen-2426
208. Wood28424
209. Zoetermeer-52424
210. Zevenaar-2423
211. Enschede2422
212. Barneveld-20421
213. Heumen-49421
214. Moerdijk-4419
215. Brummen-12416
216. Stede Broec-103413
217. Westerkwartier21413
218. Almere-24412
219. Heiloo9412
220. Mook and Middelaar-9412
221. Loon op Zand-12409
222. Wassenaar-10409
223. Lochem63405
224. Edam-Volendam-26403
225. Urk72403
226. Schiedam-9401
227. Zeist14401
228. Kerkrade33400
229. Reimerswaal63400
230. Horst aan de Maas-14399
231. Middle Delfland-12399
232. Eersel46395
233. Ugstgeest-9393
234. Katwijk-73392
235. Middle Groningen24391
236. Oldebroek-29391
237. IJsselstein-11385
238. Wijk bij Duurstede-34385
239. Diemen-81383
240. Maashorst-87382
241. Lansingerland-165381
242. Wageningen-68381
243. Raalte-10380
244. Veendam5380
245. Albrandswaard0377
246. Vlaardingen30377
247. Wierden57376
248. Simpelveld6375
249. Sint-Michielsgestel6375
250. De Bilt-27374
251. Renkum-80374
252. Someren-8370
253. Stadskanaal3370
254. Blackwaterland30369
255. Dike and Worth13368
256. Rucphen-34368
257. Heusden-4366
258. Voorne aan Zee0363
259. 's-Hertogenbosch-110361
260. Aa and Hunze20360
261. Holly1360
262. Emmen-10358
263. Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht-6358
264. Aalsmeer-24356
265. Tiel37354
266. Westerwolde-8354
267. Etten-Leur-33353
268. Venlo-37353
269. Deurne-6351
270. Brook-1350
271. Bergen (NH)-20349
272. Helmond1348
273. Oost Gelre-31348
274. Papendrecht-24348
275. Hoogeveen-4347
276. Twenterand55347
277. Scherpenzeel-13346
278. Veldhoven-8345
279. Altena-52343
280. Hillegom-60340
281. Tubbergen22337
282. Lower Betuwe-10334
283. Sittard-Geleen13333
284. Leudal-45330
285. Laarbeek57325
286. Zundert-7325
287. Geertruidenberg-73324
288. Capelle aan den IJssel-13323
289. Halderberge-41320
290. Goirle-5319
291. Molenlanden-9318
292. Lingewaard-32317
293. Teylingen13315
294. Nissewaard0314
295. Oirschot-18314
296. Heemskerk-1311
297. Hoeksche Waard-31309
298. Alphen-Chaam22307
299. Stein6307
300. Dronten-11303
301. Berkelland-10301
302. Blaricum39300
303. Krimpen aan den IJssel-3300
304. Landgraaf-23300
305. Oudewater-4300
306. Renswoude-85300
307. Westervoort12300
308. Dchterland-41299
309. De Wolden-22292
310. Roerdalen3292
311. Krimpenerwaard-37290
312. Borsele-4287
313. Haaksbergen-6286
314. Montferland-71283
315. Gennep-17273
316. Court of Twente-1262
317. Borne-5260
318. Gemert-Bakel-2257
319. Lopik-5253
320. Bladel-3250
321. Eijsden-Margraten-3250
322. Montfoort5250
323. Beuningen-2240
324. Koggenland0240
325. Coevorden-2237
326. Staphorst-4227
327. Bergeijk-1225
328. Neighbors-35225
329. Kaag en Braassem-4225
330. Beekdaelen-19214
331. Bronckhorst-1214
332. Bloemendaal0200
333. Brunssum0187
334. Maasdriel-25180
335. Meerssen-1175
336. Pekela-1156
337. Boekel0150
338. Drimmelen1150
339. Baarle-Nassau-30
340. Rozendaal30
341. Voerendaal30
342. Waalre-20