What You Can and Cannot Flush: A Metro Atlanta Guide
Proper toilet use protects your home’s plumbing, the sewer system, and the environment. Metro Atlanta water authorities often remind residents that toilets are not trash cans and should only be used for their intended purpose. This guide outlines what’s safe to flush and what should never be flushed, along with why, local recommendations, and the consequences of improper flushing.
Keep Smiling Plumbing, Sewer & Drain Services wants to help educate Atlanta Metro homeowners with this interactive guide on how to avoid costly plumbing repairs.
Safe to Flush: The “Three P’s”
Metro Atlanta officials and plumbers agree on a simple rule: only flush the Three P’s – pee, poop, and (toilet) paper. These are the only items designed to go down toilets:
- Human waste (urine and feces): All municipal sewer and septic systems are designed to handle organic waste and toilet water.
- Toilet paper: Toilet paper is engineered to dissolve rapidly in water. It breaks apart within seconds of flushing, preventing clogs. (Paper toilet-seat covers are also designed to be flushable.) Aside from this, nothing else should be flushed. Even products marketed as “flushable” or “septic-safe” often cause problems, so when in doubt, throw it out in the trash instead of the toilet.
Items You Should Never Flush
A container of disinfecting wipes and a pack of “flushable” baby wipes. Metro Atlanta officials warn that even wipes labeled “flushable” should be thrown in the trash because they don’t biodegrade properly in sewers. Source: AJC.com.
The following items should always go in the trash can, not the toilet. Plumbing experts and local wastewater authorities warn that these materials can clog pipes, damage septic systems, or pollute waterways:
- Wipes and Non-Toilet Paper Products: Baby wipes, cleaning wipes, “flushable” wipes, paper towels, facial tissues, and other paper products that aren’t toilet paper should never be flushed. Unlike toilet paper, these items do not break down in water. They can accumulate in pipes and sewer lines, leading to blockages. Even wipes labeled “flushable” can snag in pipes and create massive clogs because they stay intact far too long. Example from AJC.com: During a 2020 toilet paper shortage, DeKalb County reminded residents that flushing wipes or paper towels will clog pipes – even so-called “flushable” wipes do not biodegrade properly in the sewer system.
- Diapers and Feminine Hygiene Products: Disposable diapers, sanitary pads, tampons, and tampon applicators should never be flushed. These products are designed to absorb moisture and expand, which can instantly block plumbing. They also break apart very slowly. Metro Atlanta officials urge residents to throw diapers and hygiene products in the trash, because in pipes they will almost certainly cause a clog. Plastic tampon applicators can lodge in pipes, and even if they pass through, they contribute to plastic pollution in waterways.
- Cotton Swabs, Dental Floss, and Hair: These stringy or fibrous items seem small but notorious for causing plumbing issues. Cotton swabs (Q-tips), dental floss, hair, and bandages can snag on rough edges inside pipes and tangle together into large knots. Over time, a strand of floss can catch other debris and form a rope-like clog. These items are not biodegradable; for example, floss is usually nylon or Teflon, and hair decays very slowly. Always dispose of them in the trash.
- Condoms, Plastics, and Small Trash: Condoms, plastic wrappers, disposable gloves, and other small trash might flush down initially but will not dissolve. Anything made of plastic or latex can get stuck in bends or pump intakes, causing blockages. Such items often pass through sewage screens and litter streams or riverbanks downstream. Similarly, cigarette butts should not be tossed in the toilet – they contain plastic fibers and toxic chemicals that can leach into water, and they don’t break down quickly. Source: WSBTV.com
- Cat Litter and Pet Waste: Even “flushable” cat litter is problematic. Cat litter (clay, sand, or pellet-based) does not fully dissolve and can accumulate in pipes or septic tanks. It also carries parasites (like Toxoplasma) that wastewater treatment doesn’t effectively eliminate. The Metro Water District advises against flushing cat litter or bagged animal waste; instead, bag it and put it in the garbage. Pet waste adds excess bacteria and viruses that can harm local waterways if not adequately treated.
- Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG): Never pour leftover cooking oil, bacon grease, meat drippings, butter, or sauces down the toilet (or drain). Grease may be liquid when hot, but it cools and solidifies inside pipes, coating them like wax. Over time this layer builds up and can block the pipe entirely, like clogged arteries. FOG also clumps with other flushed debris (like wipes) to form large masses commonly called “fatbergs.” These cause sewer backups and are very difficult to remove. In Gwinnett County, officials noted that even foods like ice cream and peanut butter (which contain fats) can congeal in pipes and cause sewage overflows. Best practice: let fats cool and throw them in the trash or collect used cooking oil in a sealable container for disposal – don’t flush or rinse it down.
- Medications and Chemicals: Never flush pharmaceuticals, harsh chemicals, or hazardous substances. Unused medications should be taken to a drug take-back drop-off or disposed of in the trash (mixed with coffee grounds or cat litter to make them unpalatable). Flushing medicine is harmful because sewage treatment plants are not designed to remove all drug compounds, so these chemicals can end up in rivers or even trace amounts in drinking water. Likewise, household chemicals, paints, solvents, motor oil, and flammable liquids (gasoline, paint thinner, etc.) should never go into the sewer. They can corrode plumbing, pose fire/explosion hazards, and contaminate water supplies. Instead, take hazardous chemicals to authorized disposal facilities (Metro Atlanta has the CHaRM center for recycling household chemicals).
- Other Foreign Objects: Toilet plumbing is narrow and designed only for waste and paper. Any other objects can lodge and cause blockage. This includes toys (children sometimes try to flush toys), coins, or sharp objects (which can get stuck or even crack a pipe). Atlanta’s municipal advice explicitly lists items like needles, pins, broken glass, and plastic tampon applicators as things that should never be in your sewer line. In short, if it’s not human waste or toilet paper, don’t flush it.
Why Improper Flushing Is Harmful
Flushing prohibited items isn’t just bad in theory – it has real consequences for your plumbing, your wallet, and the environment:
- Clogged Pipes and Backups: Non-flushable items often clog the plumbing in your home, leading to sewage backing up into toilets, tubs, or floors. This creates a disgusting mess and can cause water damage. You’ll likely face an emergency plumber bill to clear the blockage. For those on septic systems, insoluble debris will accumulate in the septic tank, requiring more frequent pumping or causing system failure. In the worst case, a blockage can make your toilet overflow raw sewage into your home – a health hazard that is expensive to clean. Source: atlantawatershed.org
- Sewer Line Blockages and Overflows: Debris passing through household pipes can clump together in the public sewer lines. Over time, flushed trash and grease create massive obstructions that restrict flow. This can trigger sanitary sewer overflows where sewage spills from manholes or pipes into streets and yards or backs up into homes. During heavy rain, blockages make sewers even more likely to overflow. DeKalb County has reported sewer spills caused by wipes, paper towels, and grease blockages. Such spills contaminate local creeks and rivers with untreated waste, endangering wildlife and public health. One county official warned that keeping wipes and paper towels out of pipes helps prevent the spread of disease, since we want to avoid any extra public health threats from sewage, especially during crises.
- Damage to Treatment Equipment: Even if flushed trash doesn’t clog a pipe immediately, it travels to wastewater treatment facilities where it can jam pumps and filters. In Atlanta, officials have seen treatment plant pumps and screens clogged with wipes and trash that should never have been flushed. This forces expensive repairs and maintenance. For example, the City of Atlanta had to spend over $1 million to repair a treatment plant after flushed wipes and other debris damaged pumps. In another case, the city spent $4 million replacing centrifuges compromised by wipes. These costs ultimately get passed on to customers through higher sewer fees or taxes, like in Athens-Clarke County.
- Environmental Pollution: Items that slip through treatment (or get carried off in overflows) become pollution in our waterways. Sewer overflows can deposit “mopheads” or rag balls of wipes and hygiene products into rivers; in Atlanta’s Peachtree Creek, one can see rags and wipes hanging in tree branches after floods. Plastics (like tampon applicators, condoms, cigarette filters) and synthetic fibers from wipes can persist in the environment for years, harming wildlife. Flushed medications have been detected in water bodies and can affect fish and other aquatic organisms. Fats and grease in sewers also degrade water quality when they overflow. Keeping these items out of the flush cycle prevents litter and chemical contamination in the Chattahoochee River, Lake Lanier, and other vital water sources.
- Septic System Failure: Many Metro Atlanta homes (about 25% in the region) rely on septic tanks. Flushing inappropriate items is one of the fastest ways to ruin a septic system. Non-biodegradable waste will fill the tank since it can’t flow to the drain field. This can clog the system and cause sewage backups in your yard or house. Also, harsh chemicals or too much grease can kill the beneficial bacteria that make a septic system work. Repairs or replacement of a failed septic drain field can cost tens of thousands. To avoid this, experts say never flush anything but waste and toilet paper if you have a septic system, and have your tank inspected/pumped regularly.
Bottom line: Improper flushing can lead to disgusting messes, health hazards, environmental damage, and steep costs for homeowners and municipal utilities. It’s much cheaper and easier to throw trash in a garbage can than to deal with a sewer repair or cleanup caused by a stray “flushable” wipe or similar item.
Metro Atlanta Guidelines and Public Awareness
Metro Atlanta’s wastewater agencies continually invest in infrastructure and public education to combat clogs and keep sewer systems flowing. Following the guidelines above in your home can help prevent pipe problems and protect local water quality. Always think before you flush—if it’s not one of the Three P’s, dispose of it properly. Your plumbing, your community, and the environment will thank you.
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