Can We Talk Trash? Toilet Trash

King County educating people about where to dispose of used condoms, tampons and other stuff

2005 Archived News

Where do you put used tampons or condoms? The toilet or the trash?

That's certainly not trivia for the faint of heart, but the answer is important for people who want to protect their plumbing and the environment. And, with King County residents' inclination for doing the right thing, the answer is interesting and perhaps not widely known.

According to the King County Wastewater Treatment Division, the answer is the trash.

While many people grew up flushing various items down the toilet, King County is advising sewer customers that a home's plumbing, the sewer system and the environment can't handle certain things. Anything containing plastic is a big concern.

"Putting them in the trash avoids the potential of plugged plumbing, which could result in both major inconvenience and significant cost to clear the lines," said Dick Finger, manager of the county's West Point Treatment Plant in Seattle. "It's hard to break the habit of flushing tampons or condoms, but the benefits outweigh the risks. No one wants to have to call a plumber or dig up their front yard."

According to the wastewater experts at the county's wastewater treatment facilities, condoms and tampons, including the applicator, often show up in waste that comes through the system. And so do personal hygiene products like cotton swabs, cotton balls and bandages. Cleaning wipes, baby wipes, minipads, nursing pads and disposable diapers also reach treatment plants.

Some things, such as condoms, can slip through treatment plant screens that capture larger items, which go to solid-waste landfills. Yearly, the Wastewater Treatment Division hauls an average of 491 tons of screened material to the landfill.

Treatment equipment can grind up smaller items, but even then they don't break up in the treatment process and can interfere with equipment. Removing and disposing of the items can affect the cost of treatment.

The ground items can also end up in biosolids, a nutrient-rich organic byproduct of treatment that's recycled as a soil amendment. And too much of that type of debris can compromise the utility's capability to recycle biosolids.

"Biosolids customers are used to receiving clean biosolids from us," said Peggy Leonard, supervisor of the county's Biosolids Recycling Program. "We'd like to stop these items from entering the system, but we know it will take time."

King County suggests that one way to break the habit of using the toilet for disposal is to put a small trash can right next to the toilet. If a home has small children or pets, a trash can with a foot-operated lid is a useful alternative. While using the trash can seems simple, putting one next to the toilet will reinforce new habits.

Getting rid of unused medications has a unique solution. They should also go in a trash can instead of a toilet or drain. But they should be left in their original container and sealed, even hidden, in a zip-lock plastic bag. That will prevent spills, unintended use, and direct release to the environment.

"Safety is paramount," said Mike Fischer, manager of the county's South Treatment Plant in Renton. "If there are any questions about how to safely dispose of a product, or the potential impacts of disposing of a product, we encourage people to seek out our advice or the advice of their local solid waste utility."

For more information on How to get Rid of Stuff You Don't Want or Need, an easy-to-read chart that lists product disposal information can be viewed and downloaded at this county Web site. For a copy of the disposal chart, call 206-684-1280 (or TTY Relay: 711).

King County is also distributing a related brochure called Can We Talk Trash? at various locations, including Planned Parenthood clinics in King County, doctor's offices, and the county's wastewater treatment plants. It's available for viewing and downloading at this county Web site.

Other related information is available on these Web sites: King County Solid Waste Division; Local Hazardous Waste Management Program for King County; and Public Health -- Seattle and King County.

King County's Wastewater Treatment Division protects public health and water quality by serving 18 cities, 16 local sewer agencies and more than 1.4 million residents in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties. Formerly called Metro, the regional utility now operated by King County has been preventing water pollution for nearly 40 years.