ULAN BATOR, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia on Friday held a national conference on upgrading toilets nationwide to bolster its travel sector and prevent soil pollution.
More than 300 guests presented innovative ideas and technologies on upgrading toilets at the conference co-organized by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the National Committee for Environmental Pollution Reduction.
One of the most pressing issues for improving travel conditions is the creation of toilets that meet modern standards, said Mongolian Minister of Environment and Tourism Bat-Ulzii Bat-Erdene, adding that "soil pollution has a negative impact on human health no less than air pollution."
The Asian country is expected to take measures in stages to remove all pit latrines or traditional wooden toilets in tourism areas across the country and replace them by modern standard toilets.
Pit latrines, which are widely used by the majority of Mongolia's population, are reported to have a negative impact on soil and public health. ■
