Five things you should not flush down the toilet
Updated | By East Coast Breakfast
There's a good chance that you might be flushing at least one of these items down the toilet, but you need to stop right away...
Scientists in Norway say there are only three things you should flush down the toilet: urine, faeces, and toilet paper.
However, many people are guilty of flushing all that and more! Some treat their toilets like rubbish bins, throwing anything and everything they think is flushable into their loos.
Research organisation SINTEF says not only does this clog up your toilet, but it is also bad for the environment and marine life as the items often end up in the sea.
"Sampling reveals that there is an incredible amount of rubbish lying on the seabed. This is because many people are still flushing all sorts of things down the toilet, believing that they will simply disappear," the organisation said this week.
SINTEF warns that even items labelled "natural" or "biodegradable" are not safe to flush because they, too, have long decomposition times.
The organisation has revealed five items that are regularly flushed down the toilet. Wet wipes appear to be the main culprit.
It doesn't matter whether they are regular or "natural". Do not flush them down the toilet. The packaging might say "natural", but that doesn't mean they are good for the environment.
"The decomposition time for wet wipes branded as ‘natural’ products may be up to 200 years and is even longer for those that contain plastic," Senior Research Scientist Ida Beathe Øverjordet said.
'Flushable wipes' are also considered bad as they don't break down in the loo like toilet paper.
What are the top five items that people flush down the toilet that are a big no-no?
- Q-tips
- Contact lenses
- Condoms
- Sanitary pads/tampons
- Wet wipes
So, think twice before you flush rubbish down the toilet.
If it is not urine, faeces, or toilet paper, then it probably doesn't belong in the loo.
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