# What does a garbage disposal system accomplish? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509 "2011-06-06T16:28:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/1 "2011-06-06T16:28:02Z")
Apparently these are big in the US. I just read mention of one in anther thread and thought: why? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen one. I know of their existence, probably from television, but no one I know has ever had one. So, they grind up food solids to make for a smaller garbage volume? Is that it? Why? ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/2 "2011-06-06T16:34:24Z")
You apparently missed one element of them in that they are installed in sinks and the ground up food waste goes down the drain into the sewer system rather than the garbage. The objective is to reduce garbage bulk and odor. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/3 "2011-06-06T16:35:32Z")
They are in the sink drain. They grind up stuff (food scraps, mostly) that you put into the sink, so that they do not clog the drain. I guess the point is that it is easier to wash stuff, such as leavings on a dinner plate, down the sink than to scrape them off into a bin before washing just the smaller detritus off the plate (as you are going to do anyway), and it means that you do not have (so much) wet stuff in the bin, rotting and stinking up the place. Obviously it is perfectly possible to get by without one, but they are a (minor) convenience. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/4 "2011-06-06T16:37:48Z")
Ah. I see. So now the municipality has to deal with all of this extra organic food mass? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/5 "2011-06-06T16:46:38Z")
As any competent plumber will tell you, the above answers are largely incorrect, and often lead to large profits for said craftsmen. So-called ‘garbage disposals’ are not, and never were, meant as an alternative to your trash can, nor are they meant as a means to reduce landfill (a notion that is patently ridiculous, if one thinks about it for a moment). Garbage disposals are designed for the following steps: 1. Scrape large food scraps into your trash or compost. 2. Rinse the plate in the sink that contains the garbage disposal in order to remove the small food particles (orts). 3. Wash plates as usual. 4. As the orts decompose, occasionally run the disposal with a lot of water to flush out the traps and move any residue into the mains. They are NOT meant for the following: large amounts of grease; coffee grounds; egg shells; bones; meat; any other hunks of food. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/6 "2011-06-06T16:48:26Z")
It is largely the municipality’s task to dispose of it, either through the sewage plant, or by collecting it as solid waste. I think except for the combined sewers problem, we are doing a better job on sewage than solid waste. Much of it is being trucked to landfills. Personally, much of out food waste goes to the compost pile and eventually becomes fertilizer. For certain smaller amounts, the disposal is much easier. Light use of it is prudent for those of us on a septic tank. Note, our garbage is collected by a tax paying company. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/7 "2011-06-06T16:49:17Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Ah. I see. > > So now the municipality has to deal with all of this extra organic food mass? 😕 Yep. OTOH, they’ve been in common use for so long that municipal sewage plants have long since factored this into their designs. They are not a good idea if you have a septic tank. They also create a lot of amusing folklore concerning what your garbage disposal may and may not eat. And what should be periodically shoved down it to maintain it (“grind up some ice cubes every so often”, etc). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/8 "2011-06-06T17:07:52Z")
> [@](#): > > As any competent plumber will tell you, the above answers are largely incorrect, and often lead to large profits for said craftsmen. While that might not be what they’re designed for, it _is_ how most folks actually use them. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/9 "2011-06-06T17:12:15Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > While that might not be what they’re designed for, it _is_ how most folks actually use them. Correct, although in my sad experience, ‘most folks’ are not all that bright. I’m sure some will be along shortly to regale us with anecdotal stories along the lines of “I’ve been dumping garbage into mine for 15 years and never had a problem”. Sort of the “grandpa smoked and he lived to be 103, so smoking isn’t bad for you” type of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/10 "2011-06-06T17:18:41Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > While that might not be what they’re designed for, it _is_ how most folks actually use them. And if they live in the same location for more than a couple of years, they \*\*will be \*\*hiring roto-rooter or other similar plumbing service to come and unclog their main sewer line from their residence. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/11 "2011-06-06T17:25:14Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > And if they live in the same location for more than a couple of years, they \*\*will be \*\*hiring roto-rooter or other similar plumbing service to come and unclog their main sewer line from their residence. I don’t think garbage disposals contribute more to clogs than flushing large chunks of material down the drain, even if the volume of material increases. Most street line clogs are due to infiltration and degradation of the pipes, and the build up of bio-film, or large things that didn’t go down the sink drain. Disclaimer: IANA plumber. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/12 "2011-06-06T17:27:19Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Apparently these are big in the US. I just read mention of one in anther thread and thought: why? > > I don’t believe I’ve ever seen one. I know of their existence, probably from television, but no one I know has ever had one. > > So, they grind up food solids to make for a smaller garbage volume? Is that it? > > Why? Wait a second – don’t you live in Canada? Every residence I’ve been to in Canada has a garbage disposal, usually called a “garborator”. At least in Montreal. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/13 "2011-06-06T17:29:47Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I don’t think garbage disposals contribute more to clogs than flushing large chunks of material down the drain, even if the volume of material increases. Most street line clogs are due to infiltration and degradation of the pipes, and the build up of bio-film, or large things that didn’t go down the sink drain. Disclaimer: IANA plumber. Toilet tissue and poop are made to degrade in a rather quick fashion. Potato peelings and pasta, not so much. And the majority of calls to Roto-rooter are not for unclogging the city’s sewer line, but for the line from your residence to the street, where it hooks into the city sewer line. That part is the homeowner’s responsibility. The size of your line will also have some impact on how quickly it will become clogged. ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/14 "2011-06-06T17:32:17Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > As any competent plumber will tell you, the above answers are largely incorrect, and often lead to large profits for said craftsmen. So-called ‘garbage disposals’ are not, and never were, meant as an alternative to your trash can… From my [Insinkerator manual](http://www.insinkerator.com/pdf/US_ICU1.pdf) > [@](#): > > •This product is designed to dispose of normal household food waste; > inserting materials other than food waste into disposer could cause > personal injury and/or property damage. Normal household food waste is a lot more than the ORT’s you describe. Read on. > [@](#): > > DO… > • First turn on cold water and then turn on the disposer. Continue running > cold water for several seconds after grinding is completed to flush > the drain line. > • Grind hard materials such as small bones, fruit pits, and ice. A > scouring action is created by the particles inside the grind chamber. > • Grind peelings from citrus fruits to freshen up drain smells. > • Use a disposer cleaner, degreaser, or deodorizer as necessary to > relieve objectionable odors caused by grease build-up. > > DON’T… > • DON’T POUR GREASE OR FAT DOWN YOUR DISPOSER > OR ANY DRAIN. IT CAN BUILD UP IN PIPES AND CAUSE > DRAIN BLOCKAGES. PUT GREASE IN A JAR OR CAN > AND DISPOSE IN THE TRASH. > • Don’t use hot water when grinding food waste. It is > OK to drain hot water into the disposer between > grinding periods. > • Don’t fill disposer with a lot of vegetable peels all at once. Instead, turn the > water and disposer on first > and then feed the peels in gradually. > • Don’t grind large amounts of egg shells or fibrous materials like corn husks, > artichokes, etc., to avoid possible drain blockage. > • Don’t turn off disposer until grinding is completed and only sound of motor > and water is heard ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/15 "2011-06-06T17:36:30Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Wait a second – don’t you live in Canada? Every residence I’ve been to in Canada has a garbage disposal, usually called a “garborator”. > > At least in Montreal. I’ve never seen one. Anywhere. I’ve been to literally hundreds of residences in Canada, mainly Ontario. Although I’ve stayed in hotels in Quebec, and cottages too, I don’t know if I’ve ever been to a private residence in PQ. So, they’re common in Quebec? No one. Absolutely no one in Ontario has one of these things. In fact, most communities are now requiring organic waste to be separated out from regular trash and collected separately and sent to a central composting location. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/16 "2011-06-06T17:53:14Z")
It’s so that you don’t have to touch wet food scraps that fall into the sink. You can use the faucet to get them to go down the sink, or push them with a utensil, without touching them. It’s always good to have a way of getting rid of icky stuff without having to touch it. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/17 "2011-06-06T17:57:13Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > As any competent plumber will tell you, the above answers are largely incorrect, and often lead to large profits for said craftsmen. So-called ‘garbage disposals’ are not, and never were, meant as an alternative to your trash can, nor are they meant as a means to reduce landfill (a notion that is patently ridiculous, if one thinks about it for a moment). Garbage disposals are designed for the following steps: > > 1. Scrape large food scraps into your trash or compost. > 2. Rinse the plate in the sink that contains the garbage disposal in order to remove the small food particles (orts). > 3. Wash plates as usual. > 4. As the orts decompose, occasionally run the disposal with a lot of water to flush out the traps and move any residue into the mains. > > They are NOT meant for the following: large amounts of grease; coffee grounds; egg shells; bones; meat; any other hunks of food. In Britain, where garbage disposals are uncommon, people simply follow steps 1 to 3. Step 4 is unnecessary. If you are correct about “proper” use of garbage disposals, then, if used properly, they are almost entirely worthless devices. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/18 "2011-06-06T18:15:22Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I’ve never seen one. Anywhere. Same here. (Also Canadian.) They sure seem like more trouble than they are worth. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/19 "2011-06-06T18:18:02Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > 1. Scrape large food scraps into your trash or compost. If you scrape large food scraps into the trash, then an in-sink garbage disposal is kind of pointless. Its purpose is to take large food scraps (of a size that risks snagging/aggregating in the pipe somewhere) and turn then into small food scraps that can be mixed with large quantities of water to form a slurry that conveys down the pipe nicely without clogging. “Large quantities of water” is key; without that, you’ll just form a thick paste that clogs the drain quite nicely. More on in-sink garbage disposal units: > **[Garbage disposal unit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbage_disposal)** > > A garbage disposal unit (also known as a waste disposal unit, food waste disposer (FWD), in-sink macerator, garbage disposer, or garburator) is a device, usually electrically powered, installed under a kitchen sink between the sink's drain and the trap. The device shreds food waste into pieces small enough—generally less than 2 mm (0.079 in) in diameter—to pass through plumbing. > The garbage disposal unit was invented in 1927 by John W. Hammes, an architect working in Racine, Wisconsin. He appli... As a lazy American, I like mine. I like them so much that when I was a grad student living in a cheap apartment without one, my roommate and I told our landlord we would install one free of charge if he paid for the device itself. It’s nice to not have a strainer at the bottom of the sink collecting all manner of food scraps, inhibiting drainage and needing to be emptied at several intervals while doing the dishes; you just push all the scraps down the drain, turn the water on full, and flip the switch. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509/20 "2011-06-06T18:21:18Z")
> [@Hbns](#): > > From my [Insinkerator manual](http://www.insinkerator.com/pdf/US_ICU1.pdf) > > Normal household food waste is a lot more than the ORT’s you describe. Read on. Right. If it had said: do not put anything larger than a pea nor harder than a bit of onion in this device, would you have spent the $200 or so? Advertising does not equal truth, and while the device will handle the material listed in the instructions, it won’t mitigate the possible problems downstream. For some reason, people tend to forget that the drain line extends past the property line. Disposals have become ubiquitous in the USA, but they are not used properly in nearly all cases. When I ran a public housing construction department, the maintenance department begged us to remove disposals when we remodeled units. Drain clogs were probably the highest callout problem for them. That doesn’t mean that knuckleheads didn’t still dump grease down the drains, but it pretty much eliminated food clogs. ETA: **Machine Elf** : while that may be the stated purpose and the way people use them, that is not how they are meant to be used. Just because food is in small bits, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t cling to the sides of drain pipes and eventually harden into concrete. Whether that happens on your property or farther downstream is somewhat based on the amount of water you use to flush it. How many hundreds of gallons to you run each time? Or is it a 30-second flush? I suspect the latter, in which case food is likely not even clearing your property line. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-garbage-disposal-system-accomplish/584509.md?page=2)