Planet Money Explores the Decline of Public Restrooms and the Legacy of Pay Toilets

Episode Title: Why it's so hard to find a public toilet
Release Date: May 2, 2025
Host: Erica Barris
Podcast: Planet Money by NPR

Introduction: The Modern Public Toilet Dilemma

In the Planet Money episode titled "Why it's so hard to find a public toilet," host Erica Barris delves into the perplexing scarcity of accessible public restrooms in contemporary America. Through vivid storytelling and expert insights, the episode navigates the historical prevalence of pay toilets, the grassroots movements that sought to eliminate them, and the unforeseen consequences that ensued from their removal.

Section 1: The Public Toilet Crisis Today

Personal Journeys and Modern Solutions

Erica Barris sets the stage with a relatable scenario: needing immediate access to a restroom while navigating a city. She introduces Teddy Siegel, a "public toilet influencer" and professional opera singer, who created "Got to Go," a crowdsourced map listing accessible bathrooms.

• Notable Interaction:
  • [00:32] Erica: "Have you ever had to desperately find a restroom in a city and struggled to locate one?"
  • [01:26] Teddy: "It really just depends like when you're catching the toilet."

Teddy recounts her experiences in New York City, where she often found herself without access to free restrooms. This led her to compile and share locations through TikTok, making public facilities more discoverable.

• Impact of "Got to Go":
  • [02:24] Teddy: "Here are the top 10 best free bathrooms in New York City according to an expert on public bathrooms, AKA me."

Her efforts highlight the ongoing struggle to find accessible restrooms and the creative solutions individuals are employing to navigate this issue.

Section 2: The Rise of Pay Toilets

Historical Context and Ubiquity of Pay Toilets

Barris transitions to the historical prevalence of pay toilets in the mid-20th century, particularly in Ohio during the 1950s and 60s. She introduces Michael and Ira Gessel, two brothers who grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and formed a strong opposition to pay toilets.

• Michael's Perspective:
  • [06:05] Michael: "I would maybe describe myself as a creative nerd."
  • [08:53] Michael: "Pay toilets were extortion, and I was not going to be extorted."

Pay toilets were widespread, installed in department stores, bus stations, and restaurants. They operated by requiring a dime for access, which many, including the Gessel brothers, found unjust and invasive.

• Historical Anecdote:
  • [07:00] Barris: "By the 1960s, when Michael was a kid, there were about 50,000 pay toilets. They were the norm."

Despite initial resistance at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, pay toilets quickly became the standard, offering amenities like attendants, soap, and towels, albeit at a cost that many deemed inequitable.

Section 3: Grassroots Resistance – The Committee to End Pay Toilets in America

Activism and Organizational Efforts

At age 14, Michael Gessel, along with his brother Ira, took a stand against pay toilets by founding the Committee to End Pay Toilets in America (C.E.P.T.A.) in 1968. This organization aimed to advocate for free public restrooms and eliminate pay-to-use facilities.

• Formation and Early Actions:
  • [09:21] Michael: "We weren't real partygoers. We tended not to get invited to parties."
  • [09:45] Barris: "Ira got his op ed published in a school newspaper, and it caught the attention of other kids."

C.E.P.T.A. published a newsletter titled "Free Toilet Paper," featuring a logo of a clenched fist rising from a toilet, symbolizing resistance. The group organized protests, wrote songs like "Talkin Toilet Blues," and developed strategies to circumvent pay toilet locks, such as the "sacrificial lamb" method.

• Notable Quote:
  • [10:23] Michael: "I reached my dime. I walked into the men's room one day and I went to the toilet but had to pay."

Their activism resonated with broader social movements of the time, including civil rights and feminism, which also addressed issues of equity and access in public facilities.

Section 4: The Downfall of Pay Toilets and Public Bathrooms

Legislative Changes and Unintended Consequences

By the early 1970s, C.E.P.T.A.'s efforts began to bear fruit. In 1973, a significant press conference in Chicago led to local legislators pushing for the ban of pay toilets. The movement gained momentum, leading to widespread legislative actions across various states.

• Success and Momentum:
  • [13:39] Michael: "It was like, wow, we actually did it."

However, the elimination of pay toilets without establishing a robust system for free public restrooms created a vacuum. John Cochran, known as "the Grumpy Economist," critiques this outcome by highlighting the unintended consequences.

• Economic Analysis:
  • [15:15] Cochran: "Without that incentive, Nicoloc was right. The free public toilets were overrun with people who had to go or people abusing drugs or having sex."

As pay toilets disappeared, so did their free counterparts. The lack of funding and maintenance led to the closure and deterioration of the remaining public toilets, exacerbating the public's restroom crisis.

Section 5: Modern-Day Implications and Challenges

Public Toilets as a Public Good

Rick Weinmeier, a public health law professor at Loyola University, argues that public toilets should be considered a public good—resources that everyone can benefit from without diminishing their availability to others.

• Expert Insight:
  • [19:39] Public Health Expert: "I would think so, right? I would argue that they're a public good."
  • [20:06] Expert: "They contribute to human flourishing, right? They contribute to the construction of our society and our communal well being."

The U.S. government, however, has historically neglected to prioritize public toilets, leading to regulatory and market failures. The current reliance on businesses to provide restrooms effectively reintroduces a pay-to-use model, limiting access and fostering discrimination.

• Market Critique:
  • [21:51] Expert: "I think it's a market failure. I think it's a regulatory failure. I think it's a public health failure."

Without proper incentives or government intervention, the supply of free public restrooms remains insufficient to meet the population's needs.

Section 6: Potential Solutions and the Future of Public Restrooms

Balancing Government and Market Approaches

The episode examines potential solutions to the public restroom crisis, weighing pure market solutions against government intervention.

• Market Solutions:

  • Reintroducing pay toilets with tiered pricing to cater to different budgets.
  • Implementing innovative designs to make pay toilets more user-friendly and accessible.

• Government Solutions:

  • Treating restrooms as true public goods funded by taxpayers.
  • Offering tax breaks to businesses that provide free public restrooms.

New York City's 2006 attempt to install modern pay toilets serves as a case study. Despite plans to add 20 pay toilets, only seven were installed due to maintenance challenges, highlighting the difficulties in sustaining such initiatives.

• On-Site Example:
  • [25:08] Teddy: "You have to put a quarter in in order for it to open. And there's a sign on it that says 15 minutes max."

The search continues for a sustainable blend of government support and market incentives to ensure accessible public restrooms for all.

Conclusion: Rethinking Public Spaces for Basic Needs

Erica Barris wraps up the episode by emphasizing the critical need to address the public restroom crisis through collaborative efforts between government entities and private businesses. The legacy of pay toilets serves as a cautionary tale about the complexities of managing public goods and the importance of foresight in policy-making.

Notable Quotes

• Michael Gessel on Pay Toilets:

  • [08:53] "Pay toilets were extortion, and I was not going to be extorted."

• John Cochran on Public Toilets Removal:

  • [15:15] "Without that incentive, Nicoloc was right. The free public toilets were overrun..."

• Public Health Expert on Public Goods:

  • [20:14] "They contribute to human flourishing, right? They contribute to the construction of our society and our communal well being."

Final Thoughts

"Why it's so hard to find a public toilet" offers a comprehensive exploration of an often-overlooked aspect of urban living. By intertwining personal narratives, historical accounts, and economic analysis, Planet Money sheds light on the intricate dynamics that have shaped the availability of public restrooms today. The episode underscores the necessity of reimagining public spaces to meet fundamental human needs, advocating for solutions that balance accessibility, equity, and sustainability.