# To flush or not to flush... your tampons **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915 "2010-08-29T20:54:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/121 "2010-09-01T19:46:42Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Look, I’m simply explaining possible reasoning for the other side that makes sense to me. I see the points both sides are making and to me, what **Shot** is saying does make some sense- businesses/etc. should let people know if there’s something peculiar about their plumbing (hell, I’ve even been in businesses that are VERY CLEAR via sign that it’s not ok to take a big dump, because their system can’t handle it- in such situations, I hope you guys are bringing Ziplocks to bag up your shit. It’s only the adult thing to do, planning ahead and what not). Why would you need to bag up your shit? It breaks apart in water unlike tampons which swell up. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/122 "2010-09-01T19:50:33Z")
The thing is, **Shot** seems to think that “can handle tampons, no problem” is the default, whereas those with plumbing experience say it’s _not_ - that even if the clog doesn’t occur right away it _will_ occur from tampons getting snagged in rough-walled pipes and narrowing the available channel for water flow. My admittedly limited experience is that in houses plumbing can be a wild mix of pipes - cast iron, copper, PVC, probably things I’ve not heard of all in the same structure (I know when I lived in Chicago the city sewer workers would occasionally discover a _wooden_ water main, usually when it failed. Don’t know if the city has any left. Maybe no one else is sure, either). So it might go through the new PVC piping just fine, but snag where the house connects to the municipal system which may have older pipes with less tolerance for shit that isn’t actual shit. When you see the guys go down the manhole on the street you have no way of knowing why they’re there, if it’s a dead skunk or a pile of tampons causing a problem, right? And if it is menstrual products or condoms why do you think you’d ever hear about that? If you KNOW, absolutely KNOW, that the plumbing in your residence can handle tampons go ahead and flush - but to me it seems that anywhere else the default should be DON’T flush - because you just don’t know what sort of plumbing system is beyond the bowl. I used to wonder why public toilets were such hellholes, but I think this thread has cleared up at least some of the times there have been epic flush failures and overflows. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/123 "2010-09-01T19:51:33Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > > [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > > > Look, I’m simply explaining possible reasoning for the other side that makes sense to me. I see the points both sides are making and to me, what **Shot** is saying does make some sense- businesses/etc. should let people know if there’s something peculiar about their plumbing (hell, I’ve even been in businesses that are VERY CLEAR via sign that it’s not ok to take a big dump, because their system can’t handle it- in such situations, I hope you guys are bringing Ziplocks to bag up your shit. It’s only the adult thing to do, planning ahead and what not). > > Why would you need to bag up your shit? It breaks apart in water unlike tampons which swell up. The example given was a few places I’ve been where they’ve had signs not to take large dumps in their toilets, because their systems can’t handle it (of course, their signs are more delicately worded than that). ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/124 "2010-09-01T20:00:01Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Ok, I don’t even wear tampons, but I have heard this sentiment in enough of these threads that I have to say something. > > Plumbing is a profession. It is not an undignified job that someone is stamped with at birth. If someone who has chosen plumbing as his profession can’t deal with ‘raw sewage and blood’ being “imposed” upon him, then he should rethink his profession. While raw sewage is part of the job, it’s not a pleasant part of the job. Why make the job unpleasant without necessity? I mean, I much prefer plumbing work where it’s installing new pipe, or replacing old pipe that isn’t clogged (but may be corroded or something else). Sure, plumbers encounter raw sewage when dealing with tree roots in a sewer line but that’s not because someone _deliberately_ flushed something that should NOT be flushed. I had an upstairs neighbor once with a toddler that took to flushing entire dishtowels down the toilet. It was just as fucking annoying, and there was just as much raw sewage, but you know, two-year-olds do stuff like that. Adults should know better and behave better. > [@](#): > > Is that some kind of attempt to _shame_ a woman into not flushing her tampons? Yep. > [@](#): > > If they aren’t meant to be flushed, then the wording on the packaging should be changed Yes, it should. I’m surprised it hasn’t. I surprised there hasn’t been lawsuits up the wazoo over this. > [@](#): > > and engineers and plumbers and everyone here can all educate eachother on what would be the best thing going forward, if one is so inclined to modify their behavior. I bet we can get that done without resorting to trying to shame women for things that hold no shame. The shame isn’t menstruation, it’s improper disposal that causes distress to others. Not to mention catastrophic plumbing bills. It’s asshat behavior. And the engineers and plumbers ARE trying to educate people - they’re saying those things are as flushable as advertised and telling folks better (that is, safer for the plumbing) disposal methods. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/125 "2010-09-01T20:04:07Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Your average person in the U.S. eats meat, and a modern toilet and sewer system in the U.S. can accomodate tampons. Funny thing, though - seems we have a crowd of plumbers and engineers - you know, professionals - saying that the _average_ or _typical_ US plumbing system can NOT accommodate tampons without problems. That might mean that the average plumbing system in the US isn’t modern (which wouldn’t surprise me). I curious - how do you determine if the plumbing you’re about to use is “modern” or not? And how do you define “modern”? ---
**Author:** ![BeScensible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8edcca/32.png) [@BeScensible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeScensible)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/126 "2010-09-01T20:11:22Z")
Our current plumbing and sewage systems were designed only to handle human waste and toilet paper. Tampons do not disintegrate, disperse or degrade in the short amount of time they spend in the sewer system–that is if they don’t clog your toilet and plumbing pipes first. "Trash"combines with grease and root invasion to impede sewage flow through the system causing blockages, clogged sewage pumps and sewage backups. Used sanitary products and other plastic items can escape the waste stream and pollute fresh water, especially in the northeast, where storm sewers and sanitary sewers have a connected system. Large storms can send the raw sewage through the storm drain outlet and into waterways and onto beaches. In the US, beach cleaning efforts by Beach Watch report an average of 14 tampon applicators per beach kilometer. GROSS!! Plus sea turtles, birds, and fish cannot tell the difference between trash and their natural prey, and so they swallow anything that resembles in color or shape what they normally eat. Old habits may be hard to change but we must spread the word that the trashcan is the proper place for the disposal of tampons! Check out [scensiblesource.com](http://scensiblesource.com) for free personal disposal bags for tampons and pads to make tossing the trash easy and clean. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/127 "2010-09-01T20:13:29Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > If tampons get caught in tree roots in your drain line, the problem is… wait for it… _tree roots in your fucking drain line_. Tree roots will stop everything from flowing and need to be cleaned out. I wasn’t using them as a specific example but as part of a narrative to explain that I have first hand knowledge of what becomes of human waste when it immediately leaves the toilet. Tree roots are one of many problems in a drain system and I think the people in this thread have done a good job providing a mental picture of the problems involved: -cast iron corrodes and creates snag points -drain lines are built to conform to houses which means hard right angles inside walls and floors. -tampons are fibrous and do not break down -municipalities have problems dealing with them which further illustrates the fact that they do not break down over long distances. -municipalities have the same problem with corroded sewer lines that are found in houses. Unless you have x-ray vision there is no way you can tell that a product not made to be flushed will make it far enough in the system to become a municipal problem. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/128 "2010-09-01T20:27:55Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Unless you have x-ray vision there is no way you can tell that a product not made to be flushed will make it far enough in the system to become a municipal problem. As we learned the very hard way earlier this summer when one of my dogs ingested a tampon from the waste basket, even x-ray vision is likely not sufficient to spot a tampon caught in the plumbing. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/129 "2010-09-01T20:46:30Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Look, I’m simply explaining possible reasoning for the other side that makes sense to me. I see the points both sides are making and to me, what **Shot** is saying does make some sense- businesses/etc. should let people know if there’s something peculiar about their plumbing (hell, I’ve even been in businesses that are VERY CLEAR via sign that it’s not ok to take a big dump, because their system can’t handle it- in such situations, I hope you guys are bringing Ziplocks to bag up your shit. It’s only the adult thing to do, planning ahead and what not). I don’t know what 3rd world business you’re going to but if it the toilets don’t take normal waste that is a health department issue. Even porcelain toilets can build up water deposits from hard water. A normally functioning drain can handle a “big dump” because the toilet passage is smaller than the drain line. Waste breaks down into smaller pieces whereas tampons do not. Waste does not snag on pipe corrosion whereas fibrous objects do. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/130 "2010-09-01T20:50:13Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > > [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > > > Look, I’m simply explaining possible reasoning for the other side that makes sense to me. I see the points both sides are making and to me, what **Shot** is saying does make some sense- businesses/etc. should let people know if there’s something peculiar about their plumbing (hell, I’ve even been in businesses that are VERY CLEAR via sign that it’s not ok to take a big dump, because their system can’t handle it- in such situations, I hope you guys are bringing Ziplocks to bag up your shit. It’s only the adult thing to do, planning ahead and what not). > > I don’t know what 3rd world business you’re going to but if it the toilets don’t take normal waste that is a health department issue. I live in Bakersfield ☹ Ok, what? That’s a running joke on the board. Serious answer: there are some facilities here that are in the sticks and very, very old. For instance, I’ve encountered this sign while up in the hills, on petroglyph searches. Up by Kernville and Wofford Heights, there are some very old establishments with toilets to match. Same deal out by Inyo. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/131 "2010-09-01T20:54:22Z")
> [@not\_alice](#): > > > [@Magiver](#): > > > > Unless you have x-ray vision there is no way you can tell that a product not made to be flushed will make it far enough in the system to become a municipal problem. > > As we learned the very hard way earlier this summer when one of my dogs ingested a tampon from the waste basket, even x-ray vision is likely not sufficient to spot a tampon caught in the plumbing. So did you find this out after the fact or was there a plumbing issue? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/132 "2010-09-01T21:20:49Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > But if people here with experience of plumbing are saying that tampons are designed to absorb and get bigger in water, instead of breaking apart, then don’t you think that maybe the default should just be to throw them out? A \*couple \*of people are providing evidence that they cause problems \*some \*times in \*some \*systems. Everything else is opinions. > [@Broomstick](#): > > The thing is, **Shot** seems to think that “can handle tampons, no problem” is the default, whereas those with plumbing experience say it’s _not_ - that even if the clog doesn’t occur right away it _will_ occur from tampons getting snagged in rough-walled pipes and narrowing the available channel for water flow. Where the hell do you live that your life is a constant epic of overflowing sewage? > [@Broomstick](#): > > Yes, it should. I’m surprised it hasn’t. I surprised there hasn’t been lawsuits up the wazoo over this. I’m surprised that \*you’re \*refusing to consider that tampon makers haven’t been sued for calling them flushable because they _are_–wait for it–_flushable_. \*Clearly \*the more \*logical \*answer is that there is some \*vast conspiracy \*to keep inaccurate and damaging advertising and instructions on the boxes. > [@Broomstick](#): > > Funny thing, though - seems we have a crowd of plumbers and engineers - you know, professionals - saying that the _average_ or _typical_ US plumbing system can NOT accommodate tampons without problems. You know what I just did? I called the [Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District](http://v3.mmsd.com/ContactUs.aspx). I was connected to a very nice man there named Bill Graffin (414-225-2077 is his direct dial, he tells me) who was kind enough to speak with me for a few minutes and answer my questions. I told him that I was having a debate with someone as to whether or not “flushable” tampons are actually flushable, or whether they will cause clogs or damage the system in some way. His response–and I quote–was that they are “not an issue.” **Not. An. Issue.** For the local systems, he said, maybe, and in the laterals, but \*our \*sewers are bigger and deeper and they cause no problems there. So I’m going to go \*right on ahead \*gleefully flushing my tampons at any location that doesn’t make the minimal amount of effort necessary to inform me if \*their \*toilets and/or connection to the main lines (laterals) can’t handle tampons. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/133 "2010-09-01T21:29:01Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > You know what I just did? I called the [Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District](http://v3.mmsd.com/ContactUs.aspx). I was connected to a very nice man there named Bill Graffin (414-225-2077 is his direct dial, he tells me) who was kind enough to speak with me for a few minutes and answer my questions. I told him that I was having a debate with someone as to whether or not “flushable” tampons are actually flushable, or whether they will cause clogs or damage the system in some way. His response–and I quote–was that they are “not an issue.” **Not. An. Issue.** For the local systems, he said, maybe, and in the laterals, but \*our \*sewers are bigger and deeper and they cause no problems there. > > So I’m going to go \*right on ahead \*gleefully flushing my tampons at any location that doesn’t make the minimal amount of effort necessary to inform me if \*their \*toilets and/or connection to the main lines (laterals) can’t handle tampons. Shit just got real. I was waiting for someone to bring up some non anecdotal evidence- I’m shocked it took this long. I say if someone would like to provide non anecdotal evidence to the contrary, I’d love to see it. Legitimately, I’m not being a snark lark. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/134 "2010-09-01T21:31:37Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Legitimately, I’m not being a snark lark. Woman, you just gave me a new title. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/135 "2010-09-01T21:40:31Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > > [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > > > Legitimately, I’m not being a snark lark. > > Woman, you just gave me a new title. I literally just LOL’ed. Thank you. Well done! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/136 "2010-09-01T22:28:18Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > You know what I just did? I called the [Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District](http://v3.mmsd.com/ContactUs.aspx). I was connected to a very nice man there named Bill Graffin (414-225-2077 is his direct dial, he tells me) who was kind enough to speak with me for a few minutes and answer my questions. I told him that I was having a debate with someone as to whether or not “flushable” tampons are actually flushable, or whether they will cause clogs or damage the system in some way. His response–and I quote–was that they are “not an issue.” **Not. An. Issue.** For the local systems, he said, maybe, and in the laterals, but \*our \*sewers are bigger and deeper and they cause no problems there. That was fucking outstanding work. Very well done. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/137 "2010-09-01T22:35:07Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > > > You know what I just did? I called the [Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District](http://v3.mmsd.com/ContactUs.aspx). I was connected to a very nice man there named Bill Graffin (414-225-2077 is his direct dial, he tells me) who was kind enough to speak with me for a few minutes and answer my questions. I told him that I was having a debate with someone as to whether or not “flushable” tampons are actually flushable, or whether they will cause clogs or damage the system in some way. His response–and I quote–was that they are “not an issue.” **Not. An. Issue.** For the local systems, he said, maybe, and in the laterals, but \*our \*sewers are bigger and deeper and they cause no problems there. > > That was fucking outstanding work. Very well done. I like how the debate immediately halted. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/138 "2010-09-01T23:39:59Z")
Just for fun, I called the Santa Barbara Water Dept. The guy told me that they prefer that people avoid flushing them if at all possible because they don’t break down. Let’s get some more opinions. Everybody call your city. Just great…my girlfriend just looked over my shoulder and saw what I was typing. God damn it. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/139 "2010-09-02T00:06:21Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Where the hell do you live that your life is a constant epic of overflowing sewage? Indiana, at the moment. I have, through most of my adult life, lived in buildings 80-120 years old. Including my present one, which is well-and-septic. Maybe it’s given me a bias towards NOT flushing stuff that isn’t shit or piss. But don’t come out to this neighborhood and simply assume the pipes are up to your tampons. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915/140 "2010-09-02T00:08:17Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > > > Where the hell do you live that your life is a constant epic of overflowing sewage? > > Indiana, at the moment. > > I have, through most of my adult life, lived in buildings 80-120 years old. Including my present one, which is well-and-septic. Maybe it’s given me a bias towards NOT flushing stuff that isn’t shit or piss. But don’t come out to this neighborhood and simply assume the pipes are up to your tampons. But now that she has permission in her own district…and the tampons do say they are flushable…is it ok with you if she flushes them? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915.md?page=8)