'Relief' for workers on Shenyang metro

SHENYANG: While there might not be anything special about the construction of the city's first metro line, there certainly is about the installation of the country's (and possibly the world's) first ever toilet inside a tunnel-boring machine (TBM).

For those who man the mechanical giant that's carving the tunnels for the Shenyang metro - it's 48 meters long and stands more than 6 meters high - it's not always easy to answer the call of nature, especially when you're working 20 meters underground. So the special convenience has brought sweet relief.

The new toilet, which is making its debut in the Northeast China city in Liaoning Province, can be used for three months without the need for cleaning, as it features an environmentally friendly design that consumes very little water, Wang Jiayi, president of the Shenyang Zhengchang Environmental Protection Company, said.