The Environmental Impact of Flushing Sanitary Products
Did you know that flushing just one sanitary product has a significant environmental impact? It can add to the pollution of our natural environment and even cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to plumbing systems across the country.
At Cathedral Hygiene we are dedicated to keeping it clean. Whether it’s your washroom, your workplace, or your local community, we want to do our part to preserve the spaces that we all share.
Our #KeepItClean campaign this summer focuses on celebrating the natural beauty that surrounds us. There are many picturesque locations in the UK that we take for granted every day – whether it’s the patchwork fields of Yorkshire, the forested trails of Brecon Beacons, or the cobbled streets of Edinburgh. We want to take a moment to appreciate these places and emphasise the importance of keeping them clean.
#KeepItClean is about more than just hygiene – we are encouraging everyone to help protect our environment by encouraging better waste habits, starting in the workplace and the washroom. We want to inspire individuals and businesses to take pride in their workplace and the environment.
The environmental impact of flushing sanitary products is a key part of this conversation. Sanitary and hygiene products are often disposed without a second thought – but those small actions have a big consequences.
Why You Should Never Flush Sanitary Products
Flushing sanitary and hygiene products may seem harmless, but if millions of people around the country are doing the same, it can cause substanial problems for our waterways. Flushed products don’t just break down or disappear, they end up in our rivers, lakes, and oceans. This can harm marine animals, contribute to microplastics in the water, and damage our sewer systems.
Common Non-Flushable Items That Get Flushed
According to a Guardian Service Survey, some of the most commonly flushed items include:
Feminine Hygiene Products – Tampons and Sanitary Pads (16%)
Feminine hygiene products such as tampons or pads are never safe to flush yet they are one of the most frequently flushed items. Sanitary products often contain plastic which can survive in our waterways for hundreds of years. As well as blocking pipes, they are also notorious for polluting rivers and oceans, and washing up on seafronts. Feminine hygiene products should always be disposed of in a bin, preferably a discreet, hygienic sanitary bin with a lid that is serviced by a licenced carrier of sanitary waste.
“Flushable” Wet Wipes (43%)
“Flushable” wipes top the list of most flushed items. There is widespread confusion around the safety of these wipes due to the unclear wording on the packaging. Although some products claim they are safe to flush, most wipes don’t break down in sewage systems, leading to serious blockages. The safest option is to always bin your wipes, even if they say they are “flushable”.
Facial Tissues (34%)
Another item that is likely to cause a lot of confusion is facial tissues. Facial tissues actually differ from toilet tissue because they are designed to be more durable. This means that they do not break up as easily when flushed.
Kitchen Roll (24%)
A similar problem is found with kitchen roll. It is designed to be strong and absorbent so it doesn’t break down easily and can cause blockages. A good tip is to compost your used kitchen roll (if it has been used to clean up water or food waste).
Cotton Buds (7%)
An item that you may believe is fine to flush because of their small size is cotton buds. Cotton buds often use plastic sticks that don’t biodegrade, meaning they can end up in our rivers and oceans.
General Waste EG Food Waste (10%)
It may be tempting to dispose of general waste in the toilet, but this can also lead to plumbing problems. Items like food scraps, cigarettes, and even hair, may seem small but they build up in pipes leading to blockages. The toilet should never be used as a rubbish bin – remember the three Ps: Pee, Poo, and (toilet) Paper.
Children’s Toys and Pet Fish (4%)
An honourable mention goes to small toys and pet fish. Whilst less common, and maybe a bit unusual, they suprisingly contribute to 4% of the most flushed items. Whether it’s an accidental loss of a toy, or a farewell to a pet fish, toilets are designed for human waste only so try not to flush these items either.
Individually, flushing a single wipe or pad might not seem like a big deal – but across the UK, the environmental consequences add up fast. Every day, millions of non-flushable items are sent down toilets, where they clog pipes, damage ecosystems, and leave long-lasting damage to our environment. If we understand the scale of the problem, it will encourage us to reflect on our own actions.
Non-Flushables in Numbers
- An estimated 1.5 billion to 2 billion sanitary products are flushed down toilets in the UK each year
- An estimated 700,000 panty liners go down the toilet daily
- In the UK, around 2.5 million tampons are flushed each day
- Rougly 1.4 million sanitary towels are flushed daily
- About 1 in 5 adults in the UK admit to putting wet wipes down the toilet
- An estimated 1.8 billion cotton buds are flushed down UK toilets each year
- Around 25% of adults throw their contact lenses down the drain
- Feminine hygiene products can take up to 800 years to naturally decompose
- Blocked drains and sewers cost the UK an estimated £88 million every year
How Cathedral Hygiene Can Help
Protecting our waterways starts with simple choices – like using a sanitary bin for sanitary waste rather than flushing it. At Cathedral Hygiene, we make it simple to #KeepItClean with discreet, hygienic sanitary disposal solutions that help prevent blockages and protect the environment.
Explore our range of discreet sanitary disposal bins or speak with one of our hygiene experts today to take the first step toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.
