The drain is just to drain water, nothing else is supposed to be put into it, but that’s not always the case. With better sewer systems and garbage disposals, we are throwing more and more things down the drain, and a lot of that can be dangerous.
There are many obvious things that you should not flush through the drain system, for example: metal parts and corrosive substances, however there are some items that you are not so sure about. This is a list of such articles; Items that you think are safe to throw down the drain but shouldn’t.
What you shouldn’t flush down the drain
The list that follows also offers new hope, especially for those who believe that all is not lost. Because starting at home, all of these good habits are easy to implement. All you need to do is avoid flushing them down the drain.
Here are some things you should never flush down the drain for the sake of a healthy environment. We also have to narrow down this list. We should not flush these things down the toilet or down the sink drain.
1. Wet towels. Massive quantities of wet wipes, ear swabs and many other types of textiles arrive at the purification stations. Despite the fact that on many occasions they are presented by their manufacturers as environmentally friendly products because they are manufactured with organic raw materials, they generate significant plugs and damage to the hydraulic systems of the sanitation network.
2. Chlorine and ammonia. In addition to these products used to clean homes, other substances, such as hydrochloric acid, reach the treatment plants without any control. These products are capable of oxidizing organic matter or even killing a person with only 40 milliliters in a liter of water, as is the case with hydrochloric acid.
3. Medications. Drugs can cause significant damage to aquatic organisms such as growth problems and genetic defects. For this reason, the European Union is introducing limitations to these substances, since a large amount is not necessary to cause this type of alterations in living beings.
4. Paints and solvents. It is true that in many cities the Green Points do not have the cataloging of hazardous waste managers, which is why citizens can only choose to dump these remains down the drain. But the chemicals that make up these products make them very toxic when dumped directly into the toilet.
5. Soaps and detergents. They are substances formed by phosphates that, if excessively poured into the water, can cause the growth of algae to the detriment of other forms of aquatic life. Detergents that are disposed of have to be disposed of through very expensive chemical procedures.
6. Trash . The use of garbage disposals present in kitchen sinks is increasingly widespread. They are devices designed to dispose of organic waste. These wastes end up in the sanitation network instead of going to the rubbish bin, causing wastewater contamination, overloading and blockages in treatment plants with the extra costs that this entails.
7. Vegetable oils. When these oils are discharged down the drain, they cause grease balls that clog the collectors, making it difficult for gases to escape and causing bad odors in cities.
8. Food fats and oil for the car. Unlike the previous ones, these have a greater capacity to generate obstructions because they are thrown in a solid way. Oils and fats cause the generation of waste in a treatment plant to multiply by 20.
9. Pesticides and insecticides. These are chemical substances used to disinfect urban areas. But they have a very serious effect on the treatment stations. According to the managers of the sanitation networks, they cause the highest emission rates in collectors and public sanitation.
10. Anti-limescale treatments . They are products known in the sector as effluents from domestic water treatment equipment. More and more households are using equipment to reduce lime and other salts in water for public consumption. This has a negative effect, since it can cause an increase in the concentration of salts that are difficult to purify and the discharge into the purified water channels.
