CVPKuCZUkAAQuv6PRODUCTS THAT ARE BAD FOR YOUR SEWER PIPES:

  • Flushed dental floss can get wrapped around the backflow valve in the sanitary sewer pipe resulting in raw sewage backing up into your home.
  • “Flushable” baby wipes, cleaning wipes, disposable diapers and cotton swabs can quickly clog up a sewer pipe.
  • Cooking fats, oils and grease will clog your pipes and are not broken down by flushing with hot water and soap.
PRODUCTS THAT ARE BAD FOR YOUR LOCAL WATERSHED:
  • Wastewater treatment facilities are not designed to remove most medicines, personal care products, and household hazardous wastes. As a result, these products will be returned untreated into our lakes and rivers.
  • Anything that is washed or poured into grates at the side of the street will wind up flowing through the storm water system into our lakes and rivers.  Storm water does not receive any treatment.

Here are a few useful tips to prevent costly sewer backups into your home and to help protect our rivers and lakes.

Product Bad for Pipes Bad for Watershed Disposal Method

PERSONAL CARE ITEMS
Dental floss X Dispose of it in your garbage.
Disposable diapers X Put into a plastic bag. Dispose of it in your garbage.
Baby wipes/Cleaning wipes X Dispose of it in your garbage.
Cotton swabs X Dispose of it in your garbage.
Tampons and feminine hygiene products X Dispose of it in your garbage.
Lotions and perfume X Dispose of it in your garbage.
Nail polish X Take it to an Eco Station or other appropriate waste disposal facility.
Pharmaceuticals/medicines X Return unused prescriptions to the pharmacist.

PET WASTE
Cat litter X Put into a plastic bag. Dispose of it in your garbage.
Cage lining (ex: newspaper) X Dispose of it in your garbage.
Wood shavings X Dispose of it in your garbage.

HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS
Plastics (ex: bags, ballons, etc.) X Dispose of it in your garbage.
Paint and turpentine X X Take it to an Eco Station or other appropriate waste disposal facility.
Paint stripper X X Take it to an Eco Station or other appropriate waste disposal facility.
Solvents X X Take it to an Eco Station or other appropriate waste disposal facility.
Floor and furniture polish Take it to an Eco Station or other appropriate waste disposal facility.
Glue X X Dispose of it in your garbage or take it to an Eco Station or other appropriate waste disposal facility.
Cooking fat, oil and grease X Allow it to set and dispose of it in your garbage

GARBAGE AND GARDEN
Fertilzer X Take it to an Eco Station or other appropriate waste disposal facility.
Pesticides and herbicides X Take it to an Eco Station or other appropriate waste disposal facility.
Motor oil, lubricants and antifreeze X Take it to an Eco Station or other appropriate waste disposal facility.
With over 100 years of experience, EPCOR works with industry, municipalities and communities to design, build, finance and operate water treatment plants, water distribution systems, wastewater collection systems, and wastewater treatment facilities.  
 Source EPCOR