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Government urged to launch scrappage scheme for toilets
Ideal Standard and the Bathroom Manufacturers Association urged the government to launch a toilet scrappage scheme at an NHIC discussion on Part G at the House of Commons today.Yvonne Orgill, chief executive of the BMA, said that the need for a scrappage scheme is needed to ensure that the government addresses the problem of 11 million homes that have not been updated since the 1980s.
"If we replace all these water-guzzling toilets, we can save 30% of water use in bathrooms," she said.
Orgill quoted statistics indicating that two thirds of the world's population will live in water stressed areas, and that the UK will not escape it.
"We have to act today. In the UK, the south east is currently drier than Istanbul, or even Spain, and even the Isle of Sky has experienced water issues. There are also many parts of the midlands that are now under water stress, so it's a lot closer to home than we anticipated."
Tony Rheinberg, marketing manager for Armitage Shanks, part of Ideal Standard, followed Orgill's speech with another call for government incentives to stimulate the market for retro-fitting water efficient systems: "In the UK we estimate that there are more than 11 million WCs that flush on more than six litres of water," he said. "Some of these could flush on as much as 11 litres of water per flush. It is in this area that the government can help by providing incentives for consumers to change their water-guzzling WCs."
Rheinberg also urged the government and the industry to be proactive in tackling the problem of water availability.
"There is no more water - all we have to share is here. Unlike oil, we can't search and drill for any more. We can't invent a substitute. Water is a precious commodity, and therefore it is wise for us to use it sparingly and treat it with great care," he said.
A full report on the issues discussed at the event will feature in the March issue of BMJ.
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Click here to leave a commentComments
By Keith
I still think the government should offer it as a 'Buy One Get One Free' (BOGOFf)scheme, before we all go down the pan. With business currently running at a trickle, compared to last year, we really need to flush out some new orders.
By Steve Wilks
This really makes me laugh I have sold Wc suites for over 25 years. Now it seems that times are hard Ideal Standard want to care ! so its not about sales after all? just to save the the problem of water availability.
By Mick Williams
ARRGGHHHHHH !!!!
By Colin Nutley
I'd like to add my whole hearted support for the scrappage scheme, however as to Rheinbergs comment that there is 'no more water', I'd just like to put the record straight. There is the same amount of water on this planet as there was 10,000 years ago before man started destroying his enviroment. If only people would realise the government in this country are NOT interested in saving our enviroment, however they ARE, through extra taxes on homes, wages, cars, planes, etc. interested in making money.
By John Nettleton
Why not? Let everyone get in on the scappage act, the UK tax payer is a "plenty more where that came from account after all" ask any MP about their expenses accounts and we still finance the scrappage scheme on cars so that UK buyers can buy foreign imports. At least a lot of toilets might be UK made and the water saving part of it seems to hold water.
By RWG
I'm not sure how much more of the 'Eastbourne & Bexhill is dryer than the Kalahari desert' guff I am prepared to take seriously - particularly when the staggering quantities of water lost per day by water companies through failure to repair leaking pipes rarely makes the press.
It's all very well making fag packet calculations on how much water can be saved by slashing (sorry) the amount of water a WC can use per flush but it's no good if it has to be flushed several several times to clear the toilet bowl - and I just dont think that ping pong balls and sawdust in a lab really emulate real life. Perhaps the answer is to change our diets; to Soylent Green.....
By Leaky Loo
We got a new dual flush loo fitted, as part of a new bathroom suite last year, which constantly ran a dribble of water into the bowl from day one. It wasn't a cheap suite either. The plumber fitted new 'guts', but it has started to leak again. My friend has just had a new button flush toilet fitted, and it leaks too so I am wanting to buy an old type loo with a handle for the new cloakroom I'm having put in, but can't seem to find any new ones for sale.
By Peter Mann
The problem is not enough water, but too many people. Our taxes are far too high as it is - but, hell, why stop at free loos for everyone? How about smaller washbasins and baths and shower heads with only a couple of pin holes?
By Waste Tech Environmental Ltd.
The problem with dual flush toilets is that they are a valve system - and most valves eventually leak. Some leak from the moment of installation!
Most people don't notice the constant dribble of water down the back of the toilet bowl and so do nothing about it. Others notice and still do nothing about it.
Leaking valve toilets waste a vast amount of water, far more than handle flush 'syphon' toilet systems (which CANNOT leak!) use.
Far better to fit handle flush toilets which have the 'Interflush' device fitted as these only flush water whilst the handle is down. As soon as the bowl is cleared, release the handle and the water stops flowing. These use the minimum amount of water possible - but then Armitage Shanks wouldn't make any money?
11/02/2010 10:48:00
Toilet Scrappage SchemeBy Keith
I still think the government should offer it as a 'Buy One Get One Free' (BOGOFf)scheme, before we all go down the pan. With business currently running at a trickle, compared to last year, we really need to flush out some new orders.
10/02/2010 15:48:00
By Steve Wilks
This really makes me laugh I have sold Wc suites for over 25 years. Now it seems that times are hard Ideal Standard want to care ! so its not about sales after all? just to save the the problem of water availability.
10/02/2010 15:47:00
Toilet Scrappage scheme campaignBy Mick Williams
ARRGGHHHHHH !!!!
10/02/2010 15:19:00
Toilet Scrappage SchemeBy Colin Nutley
I'd like to add my whole hearted support for the scrappage scheme, however as to Rheinbergs comment that there is 'no more water', I'd just like to put the record straight. There is the same amount of water on this planet as there was 10,000 years ago before man started destroying his enviroment. If only people would realise the government in this country are NOT interested in saving our enviroment, however they ARE, through extra taxes on homes, wages, cars, planes, etc. interested in making money.
10/02/2010 13:56:00
Gov. Scrappage Scheme for Toilets!By John Nettleton
Why not? Let everyone get in on the scappage act, the UK tax payer is a "plenty more where that came from account after all" ask any MP about their expenses accounts and we still finance the scrappage scheme on cars so that UK buyers can buy foreign imports. At least a lot of toilets might be UK made and the water saving part of it seems to hold water.
10/02/2010 13:28:00
Scrappage scheme for toiletsBy RWG
I'm not sure how much more of the 'Eastbourne & Bexhill is dryer than the Kalahari desert' guff I am prepared to take seriously - particularly when the staggering quantities of water lost per day by water companies through failure to repair leaking pipes rarely makes the press.
It's all very well making fag packet calculations on how much water can be saved by slashing (sorry) the amount of water a WC can use per flush but it's no good if it has to be flushed several several times to clear the toilet bowl - and I just dont think that ping pong balls and sawdust in a lab really emulate real life. Perhaps the answer is to change our diets; to Soylent Green.....
10/02/2010 13:17:00
Any handle flush loos out there?By Leaky Loo
We got a new dual flush loo fitted, as part of a new bathroom suite last year, which constantly ran a dribble of water into the bowl from day one. It wasn't a cheap suite either. The plumber fitted new 'guts', but it has started to leak again. My friend has just had a new button flush toilet fitted, and it leaks too so I am wanting to buy an old type loo with a handle for the new cloakroom I'm having put in, but can't seem to find any new ones for sale.
10/02/2010 12:56:00
Scrappage scheme for toiletsBy Peter Mann
The problem is not enough water, but too many people. Our taxes are far too high as it is - but, hell, why stop at free loos for everyone? How about smaller washbasins and baths and shower heads with only a couple of pin holes?
10/02/2010 12:27:00
A Disasterous MoveBy Waste Tech Environmental Ltd.
The problem with dual flush toilets is that they are a valve system - and most valves eventually leak. Some leak from the moment of installation!
Most people don't notice the constant dribble of water down the back of the toilet bowl and so do nothing about it. Others notice and still do nothing about it.
Leaking valve toilets waste a vast amount of water, far more than handle flush 'syphon' toilet systems (which CANNOT leak!) use.
Far better to fit handle flush toilets which have the 'Interflush' device fitted as these only flush water whilst the handle is down. As soon as the bowl is cleared, release the handle and the water stops flowing. These use the minimum amount of water possible - but then Armitage Shanks wouldn't make any money?
