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We've all done it before - but to be honest: It wasn't smart! Especially when you find out what actually happens when you flush things down the toilet!
Often out of convenience, some garbage ends up in the toilet quickly. But why you shouldn't do that and which things don't belong in the toilet under any circumstances:
- Damp toilet paper: The damp wipes have a massive disadvantage: They do not dissolve in the sewer system, clog the pipes, pollute the environment and their disposal costs a lot of money - among other things, one reason why the operating costs of your apartment have increased so much. You can read more about this and alternatives here.
- Cigarettes: Not only the entire cigarette, but also the cigarette butts contain up to 7,000 different chemicals, many of which are toxic to the environment and at least 50 are carcinogenic. The toxic components of the cigarette collect in the filter when smoking, so that the smoker absorbs less of them. All these toxins can be washed out of the filters by the water in the sewer system. This can also end up in our drinking water: Cadmium, arsenic and mercury have been shown to be carcinogenic, benzo (a) pyrene damages human and animal genetic material. A single smoked cigarette can contaminate between 40 and 60 liters of clean groundwater. You can read more about this here.
- Tampons: what can a little thing do? Quite simply: It does its job: And that means sucking up liquids. As a result, a small tampon can get bigger and bigger and therefore become a really big problem: And that means that the sewer pipes are clogged many times their original size. You can read more about this here.
- Leftover food: These can also clog the drainage pipes and thus attract rats or other pests - and lead to unpleasant odors in your own home.
- Oil and fat: Fat for cooking does not always stay liquid, but can solidify again and cause massive blockages.
- Baby wipes or diapers: The problem here is similar to that of damp toilet paper (see above).
- Tie
- Condoms
- cat litter
- Chemicals, varnishes or paints: These or other chemicals often cannot be filtered or broken down in sewage treatment plants. This is how pollutants get back into the water cycle - i.e. into our drinking water.
- Medicines: The same applies to these - their active ingredients can rarely be removed by sewage treatment plants and should always be returned to the pharmacy for optimal disposal.
The toilet is not a rubbish bin - it could be expensive
All of this is even legally forbidden to dispose of in the sewer. Only what it is intended for should end up in the toilet …
