In some parts of Amsterdam, the problem of public urination is commonplace. In an effort to keep the city clean, officials are using hemp to help fix it.
The city is currently testing GreenPee containers which are a combination of urinal and planter. The mobile pots don’t need water or sewage hookups to be deployed. The containers are there to collect urine and are full of absorbent hemp fibers to collect the refuse and hide the smell.
Not only does this keep the streets clean, but after a composting process, the end result is a phosphate-rich fertilizer to grow more plants. The levels are checked by volunteers from time to time as well as a smart sensor that can alert authorities when the bin is full. The standard model is designed to be used up to 300 times, with the deluxe model, 450.
The plant on top is there for decoration and isn’t watered by the urine, but by a 30-liter reservoir that collects rainwater. The DutchNews reports that last year four of the units were tested in the Rembrandtplein district. On one of the streets, the initial testing showed that public urination decreased by 49% over the trial.
