We are encouraging householders to follow the simple information below to avoid any unnecessary blocked toilets and sewage pipes at Council and residential properties.
The waste water drain which runs from your house is just four inches wide, and is only designed for human waste and toilet roll.
When other items are flushed down the toilet they can get lodged in the pipe and build up a blockage. Even items that appear to have same texture as toilet paper (such as wet wipes) may not break down if flushed down the toilet.
Sanitary items and other personal waste should be disposed of responsibly in the household waste bin. Personal products should, for health reasons, first be placed in bags and then put in the bin.
Be part of the solution. Follow the simple disposal code:
Don't flush it ... bag it and bin it
Disposing of personal items in the bathroom
Only flush human waste and toilet roll (not too much!).
Keep a bin in the bathroom for any used personal items. Special disposal bags are available at pharmacies and supermarkets.
Items that should never be flushed
The following items and personal products should never be flushed down the toilet:
- fats, oil or grease, which will harden even if put down the sink with hot water or soap
- cotton buds and cotton wool
- razor blades (place used blades in solid container before putting in bin to avoid injury)
- sanitary products, colostomy bags, condoms
- decorating waste, paint, cement and plaster
- put all wipes in the bin (baby, facial and cleaning wipes of any type)
- kitchen roll and paper handkerchiefs
- dental floss, medicine, tablets and old bandages
- disposable nappies and incontinence pads (wrap well and put in the bin)
- syringes and needles (dispose of them safely in a sharps box or take them to your nearest needle bank)
- other items such as:
- food
- plastics
- chemicals
- toilet roll inners
- old clothing and rags
It can be difficult and expensive to remove some of these items because we may have to dig down to the pipe to extract them.
Cooking fats and fat substances in the kitchen
Checklist for the kitchen
Please follow the checklist below:
- wipe and scrape plates, pans and utensils before washing, including dishwashers (and put the waste into the food recycling bin)
- collect waste oil in a suitable secure container, for example, used animal fat, bacon, grease or chicken fat and small particles of food waste - allow to cool and dispose of responsibly
- use your separate food recycling bin supplied by the Council
- use strainers in sink plug holes
- never put cooking oil, fat or grease down the sink
- never pour waste oil, fat or grease down the external drain
- never put food scrapings into the sink
- never put building or garden waste down external drains
- never pour boiling hot water down the sink to try to dissolve fat and grease - it does not work!
Think… not down the sink!
The above simple guidelines will significantly help to maintain free flowing water both within the drains of your property and in the sewage system.
Householders may be charged the cost to clear blocked toilets/drains which are due to fault of the householder.
Neighbourhood housing teams
For further help and advice please contact your neighbourhood housing team.