Philadelphia transit agency to test urine-repelling paint

FILE – In this July 30, 2015, photo, a sign above a wall covered with repellent paint asks people to "Hold it!" outside a Mission District transit station in San Francisco. In the fall of 2016, Philadelphia's main transit agency, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, plans to test liquid-repelling paint that makes urine spray back on the offender. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File) FILE – In this July 30, 2015, photo, a sign above a wall covered with repellent paint asks people to "Hold it!" outside a Mission District transit station in San Francisco. In the fall of 2016, Philadelphia's main transit agency, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, plans to test liquid-repelling paint that makes urine spray back on the offender. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

By Associated Press September 16, 2016 2 min read

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The city’s main transit agency plans to try urine-repelling paint to combat smells and complaints about cleanliness.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority will run a trial this fall of a product called Ultra-Ever Dry, a surface coating that makes urine spray back on the offender.

SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch said complaints are common for any large transit system. SEPTA’s maintenance crews are always looking for new ways to tackle cleanup issues aside from their regular cleaning routines, he said.

The coating has been used in public spaces in San Francisco and Hamburg, Germany.

“From what we’ve understood, it seems like there’s been some success (with the coating) so we are certainly willing to give this a try,” Busch said.