Female sanitary bins are an important part of any business. It’s often something that people don’t wish to speak about, which is why they tend to be hidden out of sight. However, there are a lot of potential problems if you ignore sanitary bins for women. No matter what industry you are in, be it an office or a restaurant, there are lots of great reasons to consider investing in female sanitary bins.
In this blog, you will learn everything you need to know about sanitary bins and how they can benefit your business, your clients and your staff.
What are sanitary bins used for?
Sanitary bins are used to collect used sanitary protection products. Sanitary bins are located in public places, such as toilets, bathrooms, changing rooms, gyms, schools and workplaces. They are often located near toilets or changing rooms. They can be made of metal or plastic and they can be wall-mounted or free standing.
There are many benefits to using sanitary bins compared to traditional disposal methods, from creating a more hygienic environment for your clients and staff, to avoiding clog problems that may be caused by wrongfully disposing of sanitary products. For example, if you use a regular bin for the disposing of tampons, wrappers could catch onto the side or bottom of the bin and cause it to clog. If this happens, it could cause an unpleasant odour. Another benefit is that the bin will not support bacteria growth because it is airtight and water resistant.
Sanitary bins also help keep restrooms clean because they keep germs off of the floor and walls by catching these products before they reach the drain.
Are sanitary bins a legal requirement in Australia?
The SafeWork Australia document, Managing The Work Environment and Facilities states:
“A unisex toilet should include one closet pan, one washbasin and means for disposing of sanitary items. – Toilets should be supplied with: an adequate supply of toilet paper for each toilet, handwashing facilities, rubbish bins, and for female workers, hygienic means to dispose of sanitary items.”
Although this doesn’t specify if sanitary bins are a legal requirement, in order to provide a safe place for women to dispose of sanitary items, a sanitary bin is the best option. They provide a safe place to dispose of used sanitary items, which means that women do not have to put used products in their pockets or handbag, which can be unsanitary.
Businesses should provide female sanitary bins if they’re likely to have women using the facilities. For example, if your business has female staff, clients or visitors. It’s not only a way to keep your washrooms hygienic, but it also shows you care about the wellbeing of your staff and visitors.
What goes in sanitary bins?
Any waste classified as sanitary waste should be disposed of in sanitary bins. This includes female hygiene products such as tampons and pads, incontinence products, and nappies.
These items have high levels of bacteria from bodily fluids and therefore should be handled appropriately and with as little contact as possible. Other items included as sanitary waste are catheters or stoma bags. It is important to note that hazardous or clinical waste such as needles should not be put in sanitary bins.
How do sanitary bins work?
Sanitary bins are unique to general waste bins, designed specifically to limit the odour and bacteria of sanitary waste and create a hygienic bathroom environment. Their self-closing lid helps to hide odour and contain bacteria from the bodily fluids contained inside. They also feature a drop-tray to reduce contact with already disposed of waste and can come with touch-free technology. For the most effective sanitary waste containment, antibacterial and antimicrobial agents, chemicals and fragrances can also be used inside the bin and liner. Our Femcare units include extra protection features with a fragranced, double-lined system and biodegradable chemicals to reduce bacteria.
Why do you need sanitary bins?
Without a sanitary bin you are risking the hygiene of your bathrooms and your business. Due to the nature of sanitary waste, it contains high levels of bacteria and has the possibility of causing illness through blood borne pathogens.
Other issues of not using sanitary bins is the increased likelihood that sanitary products will be flushed down the toilet. This can cause damage to your plumbing and septic systems and result in costly plumbing issues that could have been easily avoided.
The impact of a clean, hygienic bathroom extends beyond the bathroom door and can have real impacts on the reputation of your business with clients and customers. Sanitary bins are an easy and effective way to create a clean, comfortable and hygienic bathroom experience.
Who should empty sanitary bins
Sanitary bins need to be sanitised, cleaned and serviced on a regular basis. Depending on how often they’re used, bins should be emptied monthly or bi-monthly to maintain proper hygiene standards. The safest and best option for businesses is to invest in a tailored managed service to make sure female sanitary bins are properly handled and taken care of.
Our Cleanpro Washroom Services include the installation of sanitary bins and ongoing maintenance, where our team will attend pre-scheduled on-site visits to service and replenish your appliance. This will not only ensure that sanitary bins are constantly well-kept, but it also provides an ongoing solution for businesses to rest assured that their sanitary bins are in the hands of professionals that care about your staff and visitors’ wellbeing as much as you do.
Our Femcare Sanitary Bins
Our Femcare Sanitary Disposal Unit provides a discrete and trusted solution for the washroom and is available in touch-free or manual options to suit any budget. The Femcare Sanitary Disposal unit has a slim profile for universal cubicle access and placement.
The Femcare unit uses fragranced, degradable Multiliners and a degradable cartridge system. In conjunction with the double-lined system, we use P-Maxpro, a natural, non-toxic antimicrobial sachet placed in the interior liner that helps to eliminate odour and bacteria through an advanced vapour action. Femcare treatment products are totally safe and biodegradable, providing the highest levels of efficacy both in terms of bacteria and virus elimination and odour control.
Exclusive to Cleanpro, the feminine hygiene unit contains a biodegradable chemical to reduce the risk of contamination called P-Maxpro. This product kills 99.99% of bacteria found in and around the unit, also preventing odours in between services. 
What is P-Maxpro?
P-Maxpro is our new product offering germicidal protection for our Femcare Sanitary Disposal Unit.
Lightweight particles impregnated with natural biocidal active ingredients offer real antimicrobial performance and longevity. P-Max was developed through combining existing vapour release technology with a blend of natural biotical compounds and biodegradable materials to give a highly effective, long lasting and eco-friendly feminine waste unit sanitiser.
P-Maxpro is made from ingredients which are commonly recognised as being biodegradable. The sachets are safe to use and can be easily disposed of, with no corrosive or hazardous labels, reducing risk to operators and customers. It is also made using low energy processes, using recycled materials where possible to minimise the impact of the product manufacturing on the environment.
P-Maxpro works via vapour action to disinfect and sanitise the sanitary waste unit. The anti-microbial vapours permeate the whole unit and are effective even when the unit is full. The highly absorbent nature of the P-Maxpro carrier allows for excellent retention and slow release of active ingredients through vapour action, making it effective throughout the length of the service cycle, lasting up to 6 weeks.
Female sanitary bins are an essential workplace safety equipment for your staff. With the health and safety of your employees and visitors in mind, you need to ensure that there is a plan in place to deal with sanitary products. At Cleanpro, we provide the best options available on the market to help you maintain a clean and hygienic work environment while also staying up to date with Australian safety standards. To learn more about our female sanitary bins and our other washroom appliances, call our experts today on 9336 6944 or send an online enquiry.
