ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Nearly 540 million children globally go to schools that have no usable toilets, according to a study.

New research from Economist Impact has revealed that eight million school lavatories around the world can be described as "lost" because they were built with no plans to maintain them and have consequently become unusable.

Having no viable toilet at school is said to adversely impact children both physically and emotionally during their crucial education years. It is also said to have a major effect on healthcare costs and family income.

The study, carried out in Ecuador, India, Nigeria and the Philippines with the support of Unilever, is claimed to be the first of its kind to assess the far-reaching costs that poorly-maintained school toilets can have on a country's economy.

It takes into account the cost of healthcare for children who have fallen sick due to poor sanitation along with reduced family income resulting from missed work and lost economic activity.

According to the study, Nigeria could see gains of US$6.7 billion arising from six million fewer cases of diarrhoea and seven million additional jobs if the existing toilets were no longer "lost".

Economist Impact researchers claim that the most effective way to improve the situation is through a combination of smart investment, new construction and a commitment to ensure that all toilets are built with a workable maintenance plan.

The study also revealed that the world needs 20 million additional toilets to reach the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal of universal sanitation in schools.