# To flush or not to flush... your tampons

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-your-tampons/551915>\
**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:** 1\
**Showing post:** 132

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**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")

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> [@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.

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