Education

Toilets Are Not Trash Cans

The only things that should be flushed down the toilet are human waste and toilet paper. 

Even though some products such as wipes may claim to be flushable, they are not! Wipes do not break down like toilet paper. They can get caught on tree roots, cause sanitary sewer overflows, damage pumps, and cause expensive maintenance. They can even damage your own household’s plumbing system. 

Only Flush the 3 P’s: Pee, Poop, and Toilet Paper

Do Not Flush: 

  • Wipes of ANY kind – even “flushable” ones!
  • Cleaning rags
  • Paper towels
  • Facial tissues
  • Cotton balls or Swabs
  • Dental floss
  • Feminine Products
  • Diapers
  • Fats, cooking oil
  • Medications
  • Hair Nets
  • Disposable Ear Protection
  • Zip Ties
  • Cigarette butts
  • Needles
  • Plastic
  • Chewing gum
  • Butane lighters

Flushing these items can they cause expensive clogs in the pipes in your home or sanitary lateral line, they also cause problems for Bensenville’s utilities. Maintenance and repair of sanitary pipes and pumps is costly and these costs ultimately pass on to consumers.

 Trashcan Toilets

Protect Pipes and Sewer

Fats, Oils, and Grease

Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) come from fats in food scraps, cooking oil, shortening, lard, butter, margarine, gravy, and food products such as mayonnaise, salad dressings, and sour cream. When FOG is washed down drains, sanitary sewer clogs can form. FOG sticks to the sanitary sewer lines and builds up over time creating clogs. These clogs can cause sanitary wastewater to back-up into homes and businesses causing expensive cleanup, restoration, and health hazards. 

Sanitary wastewater backups can overflow into parks, yards, streets, and storm drains allowing sanitary wastewater to contaminate local waters, including drinking water. 

How to reduce Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) from entering the sewer system:

  • Do not pour grease down sink drains or toilets. 
  • Scrape food scraps into the garbage before washing dishes and pans. 
  • Wipe residual grease from pots, pans, and dishes with dry paper towels before washing. 
  • Collect used cooking oil, pan drippings, bacon grease, and dressings in a sealable container and dispose of the container in the trash. 
  • Don’t use a garbage disposal to dispose of food scraps. Grinding up food before washing it down the drain does not remove FOG. 

Recycle Your Cooking Oil!

The Public Works Department offers its residents a free program to recycle used cooking oil. The bin for recycling is located at the Public Works Facility, 717 E. Jefferson Street (right next to the Salt Dome and Free mulch bin). Place your container of used cooking oil in the bin for recycling through SCARCE. 

Recycle Your Cooking Oil Flyer

Pharmaceuticals

Don’t flush unused medications down the toilet! 

The age-old advice of flushing medications down the toilet is now considered one of the worst ways to dispose of pharmaceuticals. Wastewater treatment plants and septic systems are not designed to treat pharmaceutical waste. 

The Bensenville Police Department offers household medication disposal through RxBox Medicine Disposal.