User:JustinePorto/Public toilets in Panama

Public toilets in Panama are few in number, located mostly at airports, bus terminals, fast-food restaurants, cafeterias and petrol stations. They often are sit toilets, charge a small fee and do not provide toilet paper.

Public toilets
There are not many public toilets in Panama. The most common locations for public toilets are in airports, bus terminals, fast-food restaurants, cafeterias and petrol stations. The most common type of toilet is a sit toilet. Public toilets often have toilet paper. Lower end shops, accommodation and restaurants often do not supply toilet paper. Plumbing and sanitation systems in the country are generally not equipped to deal with toilet paper. As a result, most public toilets have a bin for toilet paper disposal next to the toilet. There is often a fee to access public toilets in airports and bus stations. The typical charge to use a public toilet is PAB$0.10.

In some places like Guna Yula and parts of Boca, toilets flush directly into the sea; there is no sewage treatment. San Bias has public toilets on stilts.

Regional and global situation impacting public toilets in Panama
Baño is the most common way to say toilet in Spanish speaking countries. Other words for toilet include aseo, váter, retrete, servicio, lavabo, sanitarios, regadera, bidé, tina, lavamanos and orinal. Men's toilets are called hombres, while women's toilets are called mujeres. Unisex toilets are called baño unisex. Toilet paper is called papel higiénico.

Public toilet access around the world is most acute in the Global South, with around 3.6 billion people, 40% of the world's total population, lacking access to any toilet facilities. 2.3 people in the the Global South do not have toilet facilities in their residence. Despite the fact that the United Nation made a declaration in 2010 that clean water and sanitation is a human right, little has been done in many places towards addressing this on a wider level.

Sit flush toilets are the most common type of toilet in Latin America and South America. Most countries in Latin and South America do not have the sanitation infrastructure to support toilet paper being flushed. Trash cans are typically put next to the toilet to allow for easy disposal of toilet paper.