Part of the Whitechapel “Fatberg”
This kind of common knowledge is uncommon, and often counterintuitive. With marketing names on products like “Flushable Wipes” (e.g. Cottonelle) or “Flushable Kitty Litter” (e.g. PETKIT or Furrytail-USA), it seems safe to flush them but chances are pretty good it’s not. Even if those examples work as they claim, it’s putting a thing into the sewer that we didn’t build sewers for.
It’s been a reoccurring story in the news (e.g. 2013, 2017, 2019) how the workers have to chisel away “fatbergs” from under the street where everybody’s pan-fried hamburger and bacon drippings collected after washing them down the drain. As we dump that fluid down, it seems like running the hot water will clear it; it does but just from our sight. After we don’t see it anymore, it floats near the top, chills, and sticks to other objects & fats to keep getting bigger.
Just for efficiency the top 10 list is below, but it’s easy to find plumbers who are glad to give details of why to change our ways; Eyman Plumbing Heating and A/C in Nebraska or David Leroy Plumbing in Pennsylvania are examples.
Grease, Fats, and Oils
Durable Wipes, designed for cleaning babies bottoms or removing make-up, etc.
Coffee Grounds
Drain Cleaners (yes, they can damage your pipes)
Flour
Produce Stickers, Plastic Wrapping, Cotton Balls, Feminine Hygiene Products, Latex Protection Items, Q-Tips, and Paper Towels
Leftover Rice, Pasta, Potato Peels, or other starchy sticky foods
Cat Litter, or other Animal Droppings
Eggshells, Bones, Fruit Pits, or other durable objects that can jamb at a pipe’s turn
Bleach, Paint, Cleaning Products, Used Motor Oil, Unfinished or Expired Medications, or other things that shouldn’t be in our water systems
It is a Harrogate Square Condominium policy to—if the plumber’s camera determines it so—bill the Unit Owner of the unit that caused a preventable blockage instead of paying the plumber with Association Common Funds.
It does behoove us all to do the right thing though regardless of who pays for what.
There’s a safe place to put the food waste listed above that also is environmentally smart; Farmer Pirates Composting Services.