Your Toilet Is Not A Trash Can

One of the earliest stories about the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States was the sudden stockpiling of toilet paper. Stores ran out quickly, and people began substituting paper towels and baby wipes. These products do not break down easily and are not meant to be flushed. There was an immediate uptick in clogged sewer lines and plumbing systems across the country. People have been using more disinfectant wipes to clean and disinfect their homes, and these have now been contributing to backups and clogged sewers too. Education campaigns about what not to flush down the toilet long predate the COVID-19 pandemic, but this crisis has shone a spotlight on the issue.