Question about tampon applicator disposal

[Anonymous]

What did OP think the little trash that's attached to the wall of almost every women's rest room stall was for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What did OP think the little trash that's attached to the wall of almost every women's rest room stall was for?

Cigarette ash, of course!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I will say that I flush the actual used tampon, and no one is going to get me to stop. I would never routinely put a used tampon in a trash can, that's disgusting, and I have a high bar for disgust. I will put it in a trash can if there is one of those signs saying "no feminine hygiene products in the toilet" - I figure those places have crappy systems.

How is disposing of a used tampon, wrapped in toilet paper, in the trash any more disgusting than throwing away a used pad? You wouldn’t flush that…I hope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What other PLASTIC product would you flash down the toilet?

NO, stop doing this. Our oceans are full of plastics, which are killing sealife and getting into the humans that consume that sealife.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/from-fish-to-humans-a-microplastic-invasion-may-be-taking-a-toll/

Umm, solid waste in the sewage doesn't end up in the ocean. Do you know how the sewage system works?

Do YOU know how the sewage system works? Ever heard of combine sewer overflows? Raw sewage goes into area rivers whenever we have heavy rains. Those rivers eventually go into the ocean. That's how a watershed works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe people even buy tampons with plastic applicators, much less flush them.

I always have such a hard time with the cardboard applicators, and I need super-plus for my heavy days which never seems to be available in the cardboard type anyway. Plus nothing is breaking down in the landfill anyway, lets be honest.

Flushing plastic applicators is bonkers though! How has that not caused a major plumbing problem yet? I'll admit that my mom had taught me that flushing tampons and cardboard applicators was ok, I didn't learn other wise until college.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually flushed tampons themselves for several years because I genuinely didn’t realize you weren’t supposed to flush them for some reason.

But flushing plastic applicators and wrappers?? That’s straight up flushing garbage. And how is it easier?? The trash is right there!

Same. I had no idea you weren't supposed to flush the tampon itself until reading DCUM but the applicator???

Same! It was years ago, the plumber AMA, I think. I had no clue not to flush the tampon itself (obviously not applicator or wrapper). Now using a cup thanks to DCUM. I still can't convince my parents not to flush so-called flushable wipes.

Ha- same. My parents passed on a ticking time bomb of a sewer pipe problem to someone else when they sold their house of 30 years last year. Many years of flushed tampons (my mom plus three girls) and then the "flushable" wipes. I can only imagine....

[Anonymous]

DH here.

Obviously little experience here (only once put a tampon in w/ an ex-girlfriend), but I remember I threw away the plastic applicator in a trash can immediately after.

Thought everyone knew to do that.

[Anonymous]

Sorry. I don’t have that problem. Use tissues and rags.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What other PLASTIC product would you flash down the toilet?

NO, stop doing this. Our oceans are full of plastics, which are killing sealife and getting into the humans that consume that sealife.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/from-fish-to-humans-a-microplastic-invasion-may-be-taking-a-toll/

Umm, solid waste in the sewage doesn't end up in the ocean. Do you know how the sewage system works?

Do YOU know how the sewage system works? Ever heard of combine sewer overflows? Raw sewage goes into area rivers whenever we have heavy rains. Those rivers eventually go into the ocean. That's how a watershed works.

There is probably a filter on the effluent to catch large trash items. Or at least the one WWTP I visited had one. Caught lots of trash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So OP’s the one who ignores the signs in the public restrooms asking people not to flush feminine hygiene products.

I always wondered why they had those signs. I thought, isn't it obvious not to flush trash down the toilet? I guess not. If OP is stupid enough to think that's okay and she can still type a message on DCUM then I guess there are people even dumber than her out there and who the hell knows what they're doing.

That reminds me, a few years ago our fed agency offices were closed because of the plumbing. After we reopened, there was an Agency Notice about what not to flush down the toilets. Some of the things they found in our GSA-leased building's pipes included: diapers (adult, I assume), plastic wrappers, condoms, and a CELL PHONE.

All of these feds were raised by wolves, I tell you.

I wouldn’t want to fish my cell phone out of the company toilet. I’d let it go too if it was a company phone. The condoms though. Which agency? The one where the toilet exploded? I’d guess a congressional building.

[Anonymous]

Somebody flushed an entire banana down the toilet at my gym about three years ago. It cost the business owners a lot of money and headache. 😬

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So OP’s the one who ignores the signs in the public restrooms asking people not to flush feminine hygiene products.

I always wondered why they had those signs. I thought, isn't it obvious not to flush trash down the toilet? I guess not. If OP is stupid enough to think that's okay and she can still type a message on DCUM then I guess there are people even dumber than her out there and who the hell knows what they're doing.

That reminds me, a few years ago our fed agency offices were closed because of the plumbing. After we reopened, there was an Agency Notice about what not to flush down the toilets. Some of the things they found in our GSA-leased building's pipes included: diapers (adult, I assume), plastic wrappers, condoms, and a CELL PHONE.

All of these feds were raised by wolves, I tell you.

I wouldn’t want to fish my cell phone out of the company toilet. I’d let it go too if it was a company phone. The condoms though. Which agency? The one where the toilet exploded? I’d guess a congressional building.

This reminds me of the DCUM thread years ago where a guy insisted he had condoms so he could masturbate in various locations and not make a mess. I learn so much from this site! (And I’m another who learned not to flush tampons or flushable wipes from that terrific plumber ama thread.)

[Anonymous]

Wondering whether the guy who flushed the cell phone had some incriminating evidence on it....

If it was in the woman’s room, though, I blame those stupid small pockets on the back of women’s pants, you go to pull your pants up and the phone goes flying out just as you’re flushing....I can see that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you dispose of your used tampon applicators? Flush or trash?

I've been flushing for years now, and I use plastic applicators. I flush the wrapper too.. My friend said I should stop but it's just so much easier

Seriously? You think it's healthy for plumbing for plastic to rountinely go down? Quit being lazy

[Anonymous]

Wait you’re not supposed to flush applicators?? I’ve been flushing the plastic ones with wrappers and the tampon ofc for years.

Ummm