Not Everyone Is a Fan of the Male-Only Urinals of Paris

Things are not going well for Paris’ eco-urinals. Dubbed uritrottoirs (“uri-sidewalks”), these are simple plastic boxes loaded with an odor-neutralizing bale of hay, which is later used to nourish beds of flowers. Authorities installed the cheap, lightweight public facilities on the streets of Paris last summer in busy areas in the hopes of sparing Parisian citizens and tourists both the unpleasant smell and hefty cleaning bill created by the regionally popular practice of “wild peeing” (or pipi sauvage as the phenomenon is known in French).

Over the summer, however, the uritrottoirs have faced a gender-themed backlash. At the end of August, two of the urinals had to be removed after a campaign of vandalism—specifically being capped with cement and covered in stickers and tampons. Now their continued roll-out could be under threat.