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What Not to Flush

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What Not to Flush

In short, toilets are not trash cans. Only water, toilet paper, and human waste should be flushed. Most of the sewers in the County system are only 8 inches in diameter. No matter what the movies say, you cannot walk through them, and it does not take something the size of an alligator to impact their ability to carry flow.

Many personal hygiene and cleaning products are marketed as being flushable, but most of these products do not break apart once they are in the sanitary system. They can then collect with other materials flushed into the sewer, causing clogs and blockages. These blockages lead to sanitary sewer backups or overflows, which cause significant damage to the County’s collection system, plumbing systems on private property, and the environment. It is rare for one person to flush enough of these products to cause an immediate problem. However, if everyone in your subdivision flushes just one or two personal wipes, imagine how big that blockage could be by the time it gets to the entrance of your community. 

Wipes and other non-dispersible items can also collect in your plumbing and may not make it through your sewer lateral, which can also cause a backup in your home, costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars in plumbing repairs and restoration costs, all of which would be your responsibility.

The same is true with cooking grease and oils. You may get the grease to leave your sink by washing with hot water, but the temperature of the water will cool long before it reaches the public sewer. When it does, the grease will become solid again and coat the inside of whatever pipe it is flowing through. You could have a grease blob in your home plumbing or sewer lateral restricting the flow of waste water out of your home—no amount of hot water in the sink will clear that. 

Even items that dissolve in water, such as medications, should not be flushed as they can contaminate local waterways and harm the environment. Home cleaning products should also be used as recommended by the manufacturer. Dumping bottles of cleaners into your toilets could impact your plumbing and the sewer system.

Below are some of the items that should not be flushed. If you have any doubt, don’t flush it!

  • Personal hygiene wipes or paper towels
  • Rags and towels
  • Feminine hygiene products
  • Dental floss, q-tips, and other bathroom tools
  • Diapers
  • Prescription or over-the-counter medications
  • Cleaning products
  • Fertilizers, pesticides, and weed control products
  • Kitchen oil or grease
  • Aquarium gravel or kitty litter
  • Rubber or plastic items
  • Cigarette butts
  • Hair

Disposing of Prescription Medication

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, safely disposing of unused or expired prescription medications is a public safety issue. If not properly disposed, these items can lead to accidental poisoning and misuse. It may be tempting to flush old medications down the toilet, but doing so can contaminate our lakes, rivers, and other waterbodies, affecting water quality and anything that lives in the water.

Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a nationwide event held annually by the DEA and backed by law enforcement agencies, water utilities, and health officials. Proper medication disposal keeps communities safe and prevents water pollution, accidental ingestion, and drug abuse. You can also use the DEA website to find year-round drug collection sites in your area, and the service is free and anonymous.

Additional prescription medication recycling locations within Gwinnett County may be found below:

City of Duluth Police Department
3276 Buford Hwy
Duluth, Georgia 30096
Phone:  770.476.4151 Hours:  Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm

City of Lawrenceville Police Department
300 Jackson Street
Lawrenceville, Georgia 30046
Phone:  770.962.4173 Hours:  Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm

City of Lilburn Police Department
76 Main Street
Lilburn, Georgia 30047
Phone:  770.921.2211 Hours:  Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm 

City of Norcross Police Department
65 Lawrenceville St.
Norcross, Georgia 30071
Phone:  770.448.2111 Hours:  Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm

Gwinnett Sheriff's Office
Big White Box just inside the main entrance doors
2900 University Parkway
Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043
Phone:  770.619.6500 Hours:  24/7

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