Stop Flushing Trouble: How Everyday Habits Are Blocking Our Rivers and Sewers
Nicola De Moraes
In September, we saw the removal of London’s infamous “Wet Wipe Island” which has highlighted just how damaging everyday flushing habits can be. More than five million wet wipes and 114 tonnes of waste were dredged from the Thames foreshore at Hammersmith Bridge — a stark reminder that toilets are not bins.
Wet wipes, sanitary products and other household items may seem harmless when flushed, but they don’t break down. Instead, they clog pipes, damage ecosystems and fuel costly sewage overflows.
Once in our water environment, wet wipes containing plastic can accumulate biological and chemical pollutants, increasing the risk of harm to the animals and humans who encounter them.
Banning them will reduce plastic and microplastic pollution and reduce the volume of microplastics entering wastewater treatment sites when wrongly flushed – meaning our beaches and waterways will benefit from the ban. The ban is likely to take place from early 2026.
Meanwhile, across the UK, water companies are turning to technology to tackle the crisis. Northumbrian Water has rolled out sensor-driven smart sewers, AI-powered monitoring, and even robotic “Pipebot Patrols” to detect blockages early. Tools like Barbarian — a spiked device that pinpoints repeat wet-wipe offenders — are helping utilities trace problems to their source. A video has been produced to explain how offenders can be prosecuted as flushing wet wipes down the toilet is a criminal offence.
Technology alone can’t solve the problem. The message to households is clear: only flush the 3 P’s — Pee, Poo and (Toilet) Paper.
Fleur Anderson MP has called for plastic in wet wipes to be removed and emphasised the harm to rivers and wildlife from microplastics.
Protecting our rivers and seas starts at home…
Plantwork Systems designs systems which deal with waste once it arrives at the wastewater works. Our products are unique in that we do not use chemicals in our processes; we use natural biological solutions which only have a positive impact on our natural environment.
By developing sustainable wastewater technologies that work in harmony with nature, the company is proving that innovation and environmental care can go hand-in-hand.
But protecting rivers and seas isn’t just about what water companies do, it starts at home, with the choices we all make. If it’s not the 3 P’s, it belongs in the bin.
Items that MUST NOT be flushed down the loo or down the sink:
Wet wipes – even those labelled ‘flushable’
Sanitary products which trap fibres and block pipes
Cotton buds and cotton wool pads containing non-biodegradable fibres and plastics
Nappies and diapers which are too bulky
Hair and dental floss which clump and tangle and slow the flow
Kitchen roll towels which contain glue and plastics
Cigarette butts which contain plastics and toxins
Food scraps, grease, fat which can create ‘fatbergs’ – massive congealed blockages in sewers
Medicines and antibiotics which can damage plant and marine life
Plastics, paints and chemicals of any kind
Contact
Nicola De Moraes
T: 01420 590400
E: [email protected]