A startling image from Australia highlights the importance of never flushing baby wipes down the toilet.
Diaper wipes are undeniably handy for cleaning up just about any mess. However, flushing them can lead to a massive, sewer-blocking catastrophe. This is precisely why every diaper wipe package clearly states that flushing is a big no-no.
The Lower Hunter Water Authority in Australia recently shared a shocking image that illustrates just how harmful those seemingly innocent baby wipes can be. In the photo, a crane—yes, a crane—was used to hoist a 23-foot, 1,653-pound mass of baby wipes out of a clogged sewer pipe. And that’s not even the full extent of the blockage; workers had to remove an additional 661 pounds of wipes and other debris by hand.
These unsightly “fatbergs”—a term for the conglomeration of wet wipes, diapers, feminine hygiene products, and other non-flushable items that accumulate in sewer systems—have been causing problems for years. For instance, in 2014, workers in London spent ten days extracting a fatberg the size of a double-decker bus from their sewer lines. A study by Kimberley-Clarke Corporation also revealed that around 90 percent of materials in U.S. sewage systems were never intended to be flushed. What are we thinking, folks?
Nick Kaiser from Hunter Water tells ABC News that the situation has worsened with the rise of “flushable” wipes, leading many to mistakenly believe that any type of wipe can go down the toilet. Spoiler alert: they can’t.
Most diaper wipes are not biodegradable. When people flush them or kids accidentally toss them in the toilet, they enter the sewage system where they swell instead of breaking down. This contributes to the formation of fatbergs, which can lead to sewage backups in homes and create a lot of extra work for sanitation workers.
Kaiser emphasizes that the only suitable place for diaper wipes is in the trash. “Think of the toilet in terms of the three Ps—pee, paper, and poo,” he says. “Anything else should stay far away from the sewer.”
While it may seem convenient to flush away those dirty wipes, doing so only ensures that someone will eventually have to retrieve them with a crane. If you’re in the habit of flushing diaper wipes, consider this your friendly reminder to stop immediately.
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Summary:
Flushing diaper wipes can lead to severe plumbing issues, including massive sewer blockages known as “fatbergs.” These wipes do not decompose and contribute to serious sanitation problems. The only safe disposal method is through the trash, not the toilet.