You’ve probably noticed more disposable wipes showing up on
grocery store shelves over the last few years. The packages often say
“flushable,” but that isn’t exactly true. While these wipes may flush down your
toilet, they cause problems further down the line.
Toilet paper breaks down in sewer pipes, but so-called
flushable wipes do not. They clog up your home’s sewer lines, leading to sewer
back-ups or slow running drains. If they make it out of your sewer pipes, they
can tangle up in equipment at the city’s sanitary sewer pump stations, which is
a costly problem to fix.
You don’t have to take our word for it, though. Try this
demonstration at home. Get two jars with screw top lids. Fill them with water.
In one, place toilet paper. In the other, place a wipe. Shake vigorously. The
toilet paper will break down. The wipe will not. You can repeat this
demonstration with other common items that are flushed but shouldn’t be. Paper
towels, feminine products, dental floss all cause problems for your pipes and the
city’s sanitary sewer system. If it doesn’t break down when you shake it in
water, it shouldn’t be flushed.
Thankfully, the solution is simple. Place a lidded trashcan
with a bag in your bathroom. Use it to dispose of wipes, floss, wrappers,
sanitary items and anything else that isn’t toilet paper or human waste.
Remember – your toilet is not a trashcan.
Photo of wipes tangled in pump station equipment available at Google Drive
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