Park in China uses facial recognition to prevent toilet paper theft

March 21 (UPI) -- A park in China has installed a facial recognition toilet paper dispensing system to prevent theft.

The newly installed machines in bathrooms at Temple of Heaven park in Beijing scan visitors' faces for three seconds before rationing 24 to 27.5 inches of toilet paper, which the park upgraded from one-ply to two-ply.

The machines are placed at the height of the average man or woman and will not dispense additional toilet paper until nine minutes have passed.

"If we encounter guests who have diarrhea or any other situation in which they urgently require toilet paper, then our staff on the ground will directly provide the toilet paper," a spokesman said.

Temple of Heaven implemented the highly elaborate toilet dispensing system after it reported guests regularly took excessive amounts of toilet paper to use at home.

Some guests have reported a multitude of errors and other concerns since the cameras were installed.

Visitors have complained about longer lines and wait times and reported that malfunctions have left them waiting for the machine to dispense toilet paper for more than a minute.

Machines have also broken down completely in some instances, leaving bathroom staff solely responsible for distributing toilet paper.

The machines also raised privacy issues for some visitors, who argued cameras do not belong in the bathroom stalls.

"I thought the toilet was the last place I had a right to privacy, but they are watching me in there too," a social media user said.