Edinburgh Leisure has become the first leisure trust in Scotland to roll out male sanitary bins and products across all its sites, helping men living with incontinence feel more confident about getting active.
The trust has installed 292 dedicated incontinence bins and 292 product dispensers across 26 venues. The facilities provide bags and somewhere to dispose of used incontinence products discreetly and hygienically.
The rollout has earned Edinburgh Leisure Gold Bog Standard accreditation, developed by hygiene services provider PHS Group and Prostate Cancer UK through their Dispose with Dignity initiative.
Launched in 2023, the initiative aims to improve access to suitable washroom facilities and tackle the stigma surrounding male incontinence. The Bog Standard charter encourages organisations to provide dedicated bins and access to products, with Gold accreditation recognising an additional commitment to raising awareness of prostate cancer and urinary incontinence.
For leisure operators, a lack of suitable disposal facilities can create a barrier to participation. Men who use incontinence pads may need to change them during a visit, but without a bin can face carrying used products away or avoiding activities altogether.
Prostate Cancer UK estimates that one in three men over 65 in the UK experiences urinary incontinence. It can also be a side effect of prostate cancer treatment.
A Censuswide survey of 250 UK men who had experienced urinary incontinence, conducted for PHS Group in July 2024, found 29 per cent had missed going to the gym because of their incontinence. Overall, 79 per cent reported missing everyday activities because of incontinence and concerns about leaking or access to bins and products. Around six in ten said missing out had affected their mental health.
Perrotine Orr, director of operations at Edinburgh Leisure, says: “Everyone should feel confident and welcome when using our venues. For men living with incontinence, access to the right facilities can make an important difference to whether they feel able to take part in everyday activities.
“By introducing dedicated disposal bags and bins, we hope more men will feel comfortable getting active or continuing to be active. We are proud to achieve Gold Bog Standard accreditation and to support greater awareness of prostate cancer and urinary incontinence.”
Edinburgh Leisure welcomes more than six million customer visits each year, giving the rollout scope to support both existing customers and men who may have felt unable to attend.
The campaign partners are encouraging other organisations to follow Edinburgh Leisure’s example and calling for changes to Health and Safety Executive guidance to improve access to male sanitary bins.
Nick Ridgman, head of support services at Prostate Cancer UK, says: “Many men need sanitary bins so they can dispose of their used pads discreetly and hygienically – but often these bins are nowhere to be found in men’s loos. It’s causing men stress and shame and keeping them from going to work and doing the things they love.
“Edinburgh Leisure is now more welcoming and accessible for every customer and we hope other organisations will follow.”
