PARAMUS, N.J. , March 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SUEZ North America is urging all residents throughout its service territories to reject the label on so-called 'flushable wipes' or other wipes and dispose of them in the garbage. That’s because they are clogging sewer systems and blockages caused by wipes cause utility workers to remove them in confined places - many times this must be done by hand, which is dangerous and costly.
“These flushable wipes, which are being used by people sometimes to clean door knobs, countertops, and other surfaces, are a growing hazard to public health,” said Nadine Leslie, Chief Executive Officer for SUEZ North America. “We fully understand that disinfection is especially important now because of COVID-19, but we are seeing a large increase in people disposing of these wipes in their toilet instead of in the garbage.”
Many of the wipes are advertised as being just like toilet paper, but they do not disintegrate in the sewerage system. That’s because while wipes might look a bit like toilet paper, they are generally made from a very tough material, and are often soaked with cleaning chemicals, disinfectants and sometimes, even scents. Since wipes act very differently in sewer pipes than toilet paper, they have a tendency to ensare with other wipes and create blockages.
According to Ms. Leslie, wipes are not the only waste item that people should not flush down the toilet. She pointed out that workers have found many waste objects that should not be flushed, such as cigarette butts, dental floss, hair and unwanted medication.
“Sewers and wastewater systems are designed to dispose of very specific items, and using a toilet as a trash can for convenience products can results in blockages,” Ms. Leslie said. “The sewer pipes that connect homes to community sewer systems are only wide enough to carry water, toilet paper and human waste.”
During the global health crisis SUEZ officials are working 24 hours a day ensuring the health and safety of its workforce as they work hard to keep wastewater service running smoothly and efficiently. The company encourages all residents across North America to remember the toilet is not a trash can.
“These are stressful times for everyone, and SUEZ is doing all we can to continue normal water and wastewater operations. But we need the help of the community as well. Every day community wastewater cleaning systems capture tons of trash, before it enters and fouls the larger treatment systems. Each and every one of us can help, by maintaining healthy habits, only flushing toilet paper, and tossing everything else into the trash,” said Ms. Leslie.
Here is a partial list of common household items that SHOULD NOT be flushed:
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For further information, SUEZ recommends visiting the National Association of Water Companies website: www.nacwa.org/toilets.
About SUEZ North America
SUEZ North America operates across all 50 states and Canada with 3,000 employees dedicated to environmental sustainability and smart and sustainable resource management. The company provides drinking water, wastewater and waste collection service to 6.7 million people on a daily basis; treats 560 million gallons of water and over 440 million gallons of wastewater each day; delivers water treatment and advanced network solutions to 16,000 industrial and municipal sites; processes 160,000 tons of waste for recycling; rehabilitates and maintains water assets for more than 4,000 municipal and industrial customers; and manages $4.1 billion in total assets. The company posted revenues of $1.1 billion in 2018 and is a subsidiary of Paris-based SUEZ.
About SUEZ
With 90,000 people on the five continents, SUEZ is a world leader in smart and sustainable resource management. We provide water and waste management solutions that enable cities and industries optimize their resource management and strengthen their environmental and economic performances, in line with regulatory standards. With the full potential of digital technologies and innovative solutions, the Group recovers 17 million tons of waste a year, produces 3.9 million tons of secondary raw materials and 7 TWh of local renewable energy. It also secures water resources, delivering wastewater treatment services to 58 million people and reusing 882 million m3 of wastewater. SUEZ generated total revenues of 18 billion euros in 2019.
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