Think Before You Flush!
When you’ve worked with septic systems as long as we have, you’ve probably seen it all. While we are not a company that pumps out septic tanks, we know that sometimes people flush things that are not compatible with a septic system. Here is our list of some big no-nos when it comes to flushing!
Feminine Hygiene Products
Very harmful to the system, flushing these products can cause blockages, especially in older systems that might have roots growing into the pipes. These items DO NOT break down over time and may cause other debris to build up around them if they get stuck causing a huge headache! Also, they add $46 BILLION to the cost of treating wastewater in municipal systems. Here’s the truth: any solids that they screen out at a sewage treatment plant goes to a landfill…which is where your product would have ended up if you had just thrown it out in the first place! And please…do not flush diapers!
Paper Products Other Than Toilet Paper
This means no napkins, facial tissues, or paper towels! They are formulated differently and cause blockages. Also…no baby wipes! Check out this article that shows the damage these little things can cause! Cotton balls and cotton swabs are also a big NO, as well as cigarette butts and adhesive bandages.. Again, these items just do not break down in the system (and even leach out harmful substances into the soil!).
Contact Lenses and Other Personal Items
You might be thinking…contact lenses? What harm can they do? Well, they are plastic so they don’t break down and they contribute to pollution in municipal systems. Condoms, also, should not be flushed (again they do not break down!) Dental floss can cause blockages and does not break down in the system. Also, flushing medicine/drugs; also bad for the environment and causes contamination.
Miscellaneous
Do not flush kitty litter and other pet poop! Kitty litter can cause blockages (it can expand to many, many times its original size!) Also, do not flush grease, cooking fat, or oil.
We know that these are things you might already have known, but we always think it is a good idea to reiterate…because a bit of commons sense can save you a lot of money if your septic system is worry free!