Each time Mick Barrett leaves his home south-west of Sydney, he checks for his wallet, keys and an available public bathroom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That is because the prostate cancer survivor suffers from incontinence and would often leak through the “thickest pads”.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But he said the problem was sanitary bins were not ubiquitous in men’s toilets.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I’d go to the toilet, change my pad and \u2014 if there was no bin available \u2014 have no other option but to stick it back in my pocket,” Mr Barrett said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I also started carrying a plastic bag [to put the pads in] all the time.<\/p>\n
“And then I’d be walking the street searching for a garbage bin.”<\/p>\n
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA), more than 26,000 Australian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year at an average age of 70.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Mick Barrett says he will often use an app to locate a public bathroom before heading out. (ABC Illawarra: Brooke Chandler)<\/p>\n
Mr Barrett was 52 when his cancer was found following a routine doctor’s appointment, and said his incontinence was “most probably” caused by radiotherapy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said trouble disposing his sanitary items was an “eye-opening experience” no-one prepared him for.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I was surprised,” the now 69-year-old Menangle resident said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I started talking to people, especially men, as to whether they experience the same issue and they don’t say anything unfortunately.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
More sanitary bins in Wollondilly<\/p>\n
Motivated to make change, Mr Barrett approached his local pub and retirement village, requesting sanitary bins be installed in their men’s bathrooms \u2014 and they did.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I said, ‘Look it doesn’t have to be in every cubicle \u2014 just one with a notice on the door to say it’s there.<\/p>\n
“I don’t care if people make fun of what I’m trying to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We are supposed to be an aging population so it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Impressed by Mick Barrett’s advocacy, Matthew Deeth says he wanted to use his position at council to make change. (ABC Illawarra: Brooke Chandler)<\/p>\n
He then turned to Wollondilly Shire Council’s Deputy Mayor Matthew Deeth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I was absolutely flawed at how simple a fix it was and how it could bring some meaningful change to many men’s lives,” Cr Deeth said.<\/p>\n
The council this week voted to investigate the feasibility and costs associated with installing sanitary bins in all council-owned public toilets, including male, female, accessible and unisex amenities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cr Deeth’s notice of motion also requested an implementation plan for a shire-wide education campaign that communicates “respectful toileting and incontinence infrastructure”.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Matthew Deeth asked council to support Mick Barrett’s plea for men’s bathroom bins. (ABC Illawarra: Brooke Chandler)<\/p>\n
“An appropriate bin can bring dignity, confidence and normalcy to an issue that is really hidden in society and not talked about,” he said.<\/p>\n
During council’s meeting, an amendment was made by Mayor Matt Gould to alter Wollondilly’s development control plan so every new build must contain sanitary bins in all bathrooms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘High level of stigma’<\/p>\n