Many people often habitually flush wet towels down the toilet after use. However, this can have a serious impact on the environment. Why shouldn’t you flush wet wipes? What is the impact of this action? This article will explain some of the causes and solutions to the problem.
Learn more: 10 Best Wet Wipes With Good Price for Baby & Adult Health
1. Can you flush wet wipes down the toilet?
Wet wipes don’t break down properly in our sewers, so throwing tissues down the toilet isn’t advisable. However, many wet wipes are labeled with the “flushable” criteria, leading consumers to think they can be flushed down the toilet.
90% of wipes contain some form of plastic, which is one of the main reasons they don’t biodegrade like toilet paper. In addition, when wet wipes encounter other types of garbage or dirt that are poured down the sink, clumps of grease and garbage will form. These clumps of grease and sanitary items clog drains.
See more: What are wet wipes? Common types and where to buy them
2. Why shouldn’t you flush wet wipes?
Flushing wet towels down the toilet can cause many problems. Here are the reasons you should not flush wet towels down the toilet:
2.1 They don’t break apart
Many people often think wet wipes will decompose after we flush the toilet, but the reality is that they almost never decompose. Toilet paper usually breaks down after about 24 hours or so, but wet wipes don’t, wet wipes will barely be damaged even when flushed.
Wet wipes were found intact in the drain even months after being flushed. In particular, because wet wipes are not structurally disrupted, they form a large build-up that leads to blockage of drain lines and, eventually, to redundant plumbing.
2.2 Fatberg effect
Fatberg is a condition in which wet wipes combine with fat, grease, and other contaminants that become trapped in pipes to form giant clogs in water pipes and sewers. The fatbergs can be 10 feet long or sometimes longer and weigh more than 100 pounds.
Fatbergs are frequently found in water pipes or sewers. Many people spend thousands of dollars on plumbing repairs because of this problem. Smaller variations of fatbergs are known as softball clogs and can be just as devastating as flushing a softball down the toilet.
2.3 Damage of sewer system
Flushing wet wipes down the toilet can be devastating to your home’s septic system as well as your city’s sewer system. This is because backup drains can enter your home through sinks, drains, bathtubs, and other openings directly connected to your home’s septic system.
It will cost you thousands of dollars, not including plumbing repair, to solve this problem. When the blockage gets really bad, you may even have to replace your home’s septic system.
Wet wipes can also cause industrial-grade pumps to fail and overheat because of those fibrous wet wipes. If this happens, the taxpayer must pay the bill to repair or replace the pump. You won’t be surprised to learn that those pumps don’t come cheap.
Find out more:
- How to unclog a toilet clogged with wipes | 5 ways to do
- Are Flushable Wipes Really Flushable? Here’s The Answer
3. The impact of flushed wet wipes
Flushing wet wipes causes a lot of damage to yourself and seriously affects the environment, specifically:
3.1 In home
Wet towels when flushed down the toilet will collect in your pipes. This will cause your plumbing problems and your toilet not to flush properly. This can potentially lead to sewage backing up into your home through the toilet.
If a blockage occurs on a section of the pipeline for which you are responsible, it can be troublesome and expensive to repair.
3.2 In the environment
When heavy rainfall occurs, sewers can overflow and wet wipes can run into rivers or into the sea, leading to river and sea pollution. In addition, animals may end up ingesting wet wipes, which could cause them to suffocate or starve.
Discover more: Is there plastic in wet wipes? Best alternatives of wet wipes
4. Alternatives of wet wipes
You can replace wet wipes with the more eco-friendly alternatives below:
- Toilet paper spray – this is a solution that you will spray on a piece of toilet paper to achieve the same effect as a wipe.
- Sponge cloth – instead of using a cloth to wipe the surfaces in your home, use a sponge cloth and a little cleaning product to clean,
- Reusable makeup remover pads – use a washable makeup remover pad to clean and reuse.
- Felt fabric – felt fabric is a great item in your home as it can be used for cleaning, washing,…
- Reusable baby wipes – using this product is much more cost-effective than buying standard baby wipes.
Why shouldn’t you flush wet wipes? This is because flushing wet towels down the toilet can clog the pipe system, directly affect your family and harm the environment. Therefore, you should get into the habit of throwing wet towels in the trash or switching to other more environmentally friendly products. For more information, contact us:
Dong Hiep Trading and Investment Joint Stock Company:
- Representative office: 69B Thuy Khue, Thuy Khue Ward, Tay Ho District, Ha Noi City.
- Manufacturing site: Lot CN7, Tu Liem Industrial Cluster, Minh Khai Ward, Bac Tu Liem District, Ha Noi City.
- Hotline: (84-24) 3716 0270.
- Website: https://dhti.vn/en/
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