Domex launches One Million Clean Toilets Movement to support World Toilet Day

Is it possible to save lives, one toilet at a time?

For Unilever, through its leading specialized toiler cleaner brand Domex, the answer is an emphatic yes. The number one germ-killer brand announced plans to expand its annual support for World Toilet Day celebrations to a fully-formed advocacy, with a nationwide initiative to promote better bathroom sanitation.

Dubbed as the One Million Clean Toilets Movement, the campaign aims to encourage a culture of cleanliness by increasing the public’s awareness on the importance of maintaining proper toilet sanitation through a series of year-long cleaning and education initiatives, starting with a multi-sector partnership with UNICEF, the Philippine Public Health Association, the City of Manila and Pilipinas Shell..

Domex will deputize Germ Busters through a series of training activities on the proper servicing of restrooms covering City Service employees, NLEX and SLEX Shell gas station service personnel, and selected school and hospital sanitation staff.

The bar for success has been set high: to collect a total of one million pledges from private households to conscientiously maintain their own clean, safe, and hygienic bathrooms by the next World Toilet Day in November 2014.

Individuals who will pledge to support the One Million Clean Toilets Movement via the Domex Philippines FB Page (facebook.com/DomexPhilippines) will also help grow a global fund to help improve access to basic sanitation in areas of need all over the world as Domex will donate P5 to UNICEF’s Sanitation Program for every pledge received.

Dirty toilets flush away bright futures

There are about 2 million bacteria per inch that can be found in a bathroom and yet over 90% of local households are unaware of proper toilet hygiene and sanitation practices. 

At the movement’s official launch, advocacy partner UNICEF provided an overview of toilet sanitation in the country, revealing that diarrhea is the third leading cause of child illness and fourth leading cause of death of children under five years old.

The organization maintains an active water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) program, which focuses on increased household demand for basic sanitation and improved hygiene practice, to combat the prevalence of diarrhea and intestinal worm infection.

“Evidence shows that improving WASH conditions improves children’s health and academic performance. Proper sanitation is crucial to securing their bright future, which can be achieved by collaborative, multi-sectoral efforts.” said UNICEF WASH Specialist, Dr. Mike Gnilo. UNICEF and Domex have previously teamed up in 2012 for World Toilet Day celebrations and a public restroom clean-up program.

“Good hygiene practices are learned at home, and what every household must understand is that proper sanitation is a necessity, not a luxury,” said Domex brand manager Dennis Chua.

“Using common cleaning products such as detergents and bleach may result in clean surfaces, but without germ-killing agents, they cannot provide total disinfection. Regular use of a specialized cleaning product can significantly decrease levels of virus contamination, and minimize the contraction of illnesses like influenza, diarrhea, and hepatitis,” Chua added.

Billion Better Lives

As part of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP), the One Million Clean Toilets Movement strengthens Unilever’s “Billion Better Lives” campaign by helping 1 billion people to improve their health and well-being by 2020. The plan, launched globally in 2010, will result in three significant outcomes by 2020- allowing us to source 100% of our agricultural raw materials sustainably, halve the environmental footprint of our products, and help more than a billion people improve their health and well-being, or the Billion Better Lives campaign. The USLP inspires people to take small everyday actions that can add up to a big difference for the world.