Experience with flushable wipes in a septic system? Any problems?

[HiC]

I see there are these baby-wipes that are labeled as flushable. These in particular are Wal-Mart "Equate" brand. Supposedly safe for septic systems. They're supposed to break down like toilet paper.

Out of curiosity, I set one in a container of water. After several days, it seemed to me to be still quite intact, plenty of strength, whereas I've observed that toilet paper will disintegrate within minutes, if not instantly.

Is this not a valid test? Will the "soup" in a septic tank will degrade these wipes more aggresively than plain tapwater?

Anyone had any problems with these?

[EXT]

They "may" eventually break down in a septic tank, but your experiment shows that they do not readily break down, which means a number of them could cause problems and may even clog outlets causing backups while one is waiting for them to break down. I for one would not trust them being disposed by flushing down into a toilet.

Septic tank systems can be expensive to install and even more difficult to replace due to increasingly stringent regulations, I would not risk serious problems that could result from flushing non-natural organic substances into them, especially when a garbage can would take care of the wipes.

[Bill]

I had a clog in my septic drain. When the snake came out, I could tell my three year old grand daughter was filling the commode with them.

[KD]

I'd wondered about this too, although not so much of an issue for me on city sewers. However, tampons are also 'flushable' in theory, but I've read that they are not suitable for septic tanks. Those things wouldn't break down easily at all, although they are generally 100% biodegradeable cotton.

[jdoe]

the very simple rule to follow with septics is that NOTHING other than body wastes and water and toilet paper marked septic safe go down into them, if you allow anything into the system you are asking for potential problems __________________________________________ Never argue with an idiot. They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Anything is flushable but is it safe for septic system? Call the 1-800 number for that products customer service to be sure.

[Eric G.]

HiC wrote in news:2bb906da-4b08-4add-8082- [e-mail]:

As was already mentioned, a product labeled "flushable" is much different from one labeled "septic safe". Unless you like wasting your time and money.

Eric

[Sue Bilkens]

if your paing outragious sewer bills I say Flush away!

[WDS]

Sue, you might want to find out what a septic system is.

[harley121]

Hello, I to did the test w/ a piece of a wipe is a glass of water. its been a week now and its still in the same shape it was when it first hit the water. NO WAY I'd flush it into a septic system! City sewer yes, the treatment plants are set up to handle trash!

[Rowan Pope]

Flushable wipes only break down in bacteria-rich poop-water.

[Don Wiss]

Except they don't break down in the municipal systems either. They are a major problem for NYC. They have to strain them out and throw them away.

Consumer Reports also writes to not throw Kleenex down the toilet. They have a strengthening additive and they also don't break down. Presumably with the additive Kleenex can then use less paper and save money.

Don.

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