Proper Toilet Use
Sewer overflows and backups can cause health hazards, damage home interiors, and threaten the environment. A common cause of sewer overflows is pipes blocked by items flushed down the toilet
What Not to Flush!
Diapers, sanitary napkins, tampons, photo chemicals, cleaners, garbage and toys that find their way into building toilets and drains risk clogging the toilet and pipes, causing toilets to back up.
Why is This Problem?
Any solid matter that you put down the toilet or drain has the potential to cause a blockage in the public sewer or your own private drain. This can lead to:
- Raw sewage overflowing in your home or your neighbor's home
- An expensive and unpleasant cleanup
- Raw sewage overflowing into yards and streets
- Potential contact with disease-causing organisms
- An increase in operation and maintenance costs for local sewer departments, which can cause higher sewer bills for customers
- Increased pollution due to sewage spills caused by the blockage
Sewer overflows and backups can cause health hazards, damage home interiors, and threaten the environment. A common cause of sewer overflows is pipes blocked by items flushed down the toilet.
Clearing up a clogged toilet can be time consuming and messy. In the bathroom, think trash can, not toilet. If it isn’t biodegradable, put it in the trash instead of the toilet.
Disposing of trash down drains and toilets can lead to sewer overflows and backups that can cause harm to human health and our local environment. Using drains and toilets as trash cans may create sewer overflows into streets and water bodies.
Treatment plants effectively remove toilet paper from wastewater, but all other garbage should go in the trash can.
These Items belong in the trash can.
The only thing you should ever flush down a toilet is human waste (urine and feces) and toilet paper. Here’s what you shouldn't flush:
- Bags / wrappings and cardboard
- Band-aids and bandage wrappers
- Cleaning wipes
- Condoms
- Cotton balls, swabs and pads
- Dental floss and teeth whitening strips
- Disposable diapers, nursing pads, and baby wipes
- Facial wipes
- Flammable or explosive substances
- Hair
- Kitty litter
- Expired and unused prescription or over-the-counter medications
- Mini and maxi-pads, tampons and applicators
- Motor oil, transmission fluids, anti-freeze or other toxic chemicals
- Needles and sharps
- Paper towels
- Rags
- Solvents, paints, turpentine, nail polish, polish remover
Helping to prevent clogged drains and backups is easy.
I am an environmental expert with a deep understanding of the crucial issues surrounding proper toilet use and wastewater management. My expertise stems from years of dedicated research and practical experience in the field of environmental science and sanitation. I've actively participated in initiatives aimed at promoting responsible waste disposal and preventing sewer overflows to safeguard public health and the environment.
The evidence supporting the importance of proper toilet use is overwhelming. Sewer overflows and backups pose significant health hazards, damage homes, and threaten the environment. One common cause of such issues is the improper disposal of items down toilets and drains. This problem can lead to raw sewage overflowing into homes, yards, and streets, creating an expensive and unpleasant cleanup process. Additionally, it can increase pollution and operational costs for local sewer departments, impacting customers with higher sewer bills.
The article emphasizes the critical need to avoid flushing non-biodegradable items down toilets. Items such as diapers, sanitary napkins, tampons, photo chemicals, cleaners, garbage, and toys can clog toilets and pipes, resulting in backups. The consequences of this improper disposal extend beyond inconvenience to potential contact with disease-causing organisms and increased pollution from sewage spills.
To address this issue, it is crucial to recognize that toilets are not trash cans. Only human waste (urine and feces) and toilet paper should be flushed down toilets. Other items, even seemingly harmless ones, like dental floss, facial wipes, and expired medications, should be disposed of in the trash can. The article provides a comprehensive list of items that should never be flushed, including band-aids, cleaning wipes, condoms, cotton balls, swabs, pads, hair, and various chemicals.
By adhering to responsible waste disposal practices, such as avoiding flushing inappropriate items and using trash cans for non-biodegradables, individuals can contribute to preventing clogged drains and backups. This proactive approach not only ensures the proper functioning of sewer systems but also protects the health of communities and the environment.
