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

HiC

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Aug 27, 2008, 11:12:00 AM8/27/08

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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

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Aug 27, 2008, 1:19:34 PM8/27/08

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"HiC" <brass...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2bb906da-4b08-4add...@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...

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

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Aug 27, 2008, 1:51:51 PM8/27/08

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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.

"HiC" <brass...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2bb906da-4b08-4add...@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...

KD

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Aug 27, 2008, 2:14:52 PM8/27/08

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On Aug 27, 2:51 pm, "Bill" <barg...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> 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.
>

> "HiC" <brasspl...@yahoo.com> wrote in message

>
> news:2bb906da-4b08-4add...@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> >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?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

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.

Message has been deleted

Tony Hwang

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Aug 27, 2008, 9:58:05 PM8/27/08

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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.

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Aug 28, 2008, 7:55:29 PM8/28/08

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HiC <brass...@yahoo.com> wrote in news:2bb906da-4b08-4add-8082-
d4c728...@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com:

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