Don’t flush your toilet paper alternatives
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BOISE — If it’s not toilet paper or human waste, you shouldn’t be flushing it down the toilet.
That’s the message local city administrators and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality are trying to get to eastern Idahoans.
“Please don’t flush anything that won’t break down,” Rigby Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager Scott Humpherys said.
Over the last month, Humpherys said he has noticed an increase in waste that doesn’t dissolve. The waste can potentially clog sewer lines and cause backups. He attributes it partly to recent toilet paper shortages, caused by residents responding to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“I think people are using whatever they can find,” he said.
The DEQ attributes it to the fact that more people are staying home under self-quarantine, according to a news release.
DEQ officials warn that using alternatives, including paper towels and flushable disposable wipes, can result in clogs that back up sewage into homes, and damage city wastewater systems.
DEQ advises residents to avoid flushing any consumable product that is not toilet paper, including those marketed as flushable:
- Paper towels
- Napkins
- Baby wipes
- Q-tips
- Moist towels
- Feminine hygiene products
For individuals or households using alternatives to toilet paper, DEQ suggests placing a container with a disposable plastic bag and lid near the toilet to dispose of these consumer products.
“When things don’t break down clogs happen and it costs the citizens more money to maintain the stations,” Humpherys said.