Don't Flush Wipes!

Recently, in my local Atascadero Magazine, the Public Works Department wrote an article - "Help Stop Clogging Pipes... Don't Flush Wipes!" We too ask that you not flush or throw Action Wipes in porta potties. Why? Because all wipes, regardless of claims, can clog pipes - not only in your sewer line, but in the public sewer system and pump stations as well.

Unlike toilet paper, these products don't breakdown once they are flushed. This can lead to an expensive repair bill - for both you and the city.

I wanted to get this post out before Burning Man as many Burners will be using Action Wipes and even baby wipes, to clean their bodies. Aside from clogging pipes, it's a mess to clean up - check out what happens when burners don't head the warning:

 

"every baby wipe that was tossed into one our city's portable toilets in 2005 had to be HAND PICKED out of the effluent stream before it clogged the processing equipment!"

Imagine having that job! Please, be courteous, and don't flush. The following items should NEVER be flushed:

• Action Wipes
• Disinfecting wipes/and or baby wipes
• Q-tips
• Toilet cleaning pads
• Mop or "Swiffer" type refills
• Paper towels
• Moist towelettes of any kind (even biodegradable)
• Any consumer item that is not toilet paper.

Stay tuned for a post on biodegradable claims...