We Live In Strange Times, What You Flush Shouldn’t Be So Strange
Sales of paper products are surging during the COVID-19 outbreak. From toilet paper to paper towels to sanitary wipes, people are buying all they can to try and keep surfaces clean. With that being said, it’s important to remember not all of these products are flushable, even if it says so on the packaging.
While it may seem easy to just flush down those wipes after use, the ramifications can be more costly than you’d ever imagine. Last year in Charleston, crews had to make three scuba diving trips to get rid of a clog caused by wipes. The clump they pulled out was so large that it spilled out from a tractor. In Florida, a mass of wipes caused a sewer line to break, “sending 80,000 gallons of wastewater into the stormwater system,” and eventually into a creek in the area.
Why do wipes cause this much damage to sewer lines, when their packaging indicates they’re flushable?
Check out how toilet paper, “flushable” wipes and paper towels break down in water:
During tonight’s @NashvilleMWS Citizens Water Academy we learned why you shouldn’t flush those “flushable” wipes. They get caught in the equipment, and someone has to fish them out! ???? #cantconvincesomepeople #downwithflushablewipes pic.twitter.com/u0lvZEPVZW
— Erin Evans (@Erinfor12) April 17, 2019
Flushable wipes are not truly flushable. While they may go down the drain, they don’t break apart like regular toilet paper. Sanitary sewer systems depend on gravity and water to move wastewater and debris through the system. Wipes can clog pipes, which can lead to costly repairs or worse, a sewer backup inside your home or business. Think twice before you flush!