To flush tampons down the toilet?

[CluedoCat]

Until very recently, I thought most women did this, and I didn't see it as much different to throwing a wad of loo roll down there. I know the box says you shouldn't, but I thought this way something said but never adhered to. However, I have recently learned it's really bad for the sweage system to do this, and the advice is to put used tampons in the bin?

The thought of putting bloodied tampons in the bin and keeping them in the house is gross to me - I'd rather just thrush it away and that's that. One of the many reasons I don't use towels is because the thought of them festering is disgusting to me.

AIBU to continue doing this, and am I apparently the only woman who does? I've never blocked the toilet or experienced any issues.

It must be really humiliating for anyone of childbearing age or with IBS

I lived in China for ten years, where you can’t flush anything in the toilet or it will clog (including my home toilet). I’ve seen some disgusting waste bin baskets in my life and can assure you NO ONE CARES

Of course this is the same country that often doesn’t bother with private cubicles in washrooms so you basically pop a squat next to strangers.

We used to flush tampons (applicator-less ones) until we had a sewer pipe blockage and dynarod guy came to clear it. He lifted the cover and our lurking tampons were bobbing about.
Also go to any beach and see the plastic applicators lying in the sand... yuk

More reasons to explore reusable sanpro. If you are freaked out by menstrual blood you've got a long haul of self disgust ahead of you.

Like some other posters have mentioned back in the 80's you could flush tampon, applicator and wrapper plus i also thought sanpro bins were for pads/towels. When the instructions on the box changed why would I read it?! (I'm in my 40's)

I’m not freaked out by menstrual blood, I just don’t want to use reuseable sanpro! There is a difference!

I might try THINX. The only issue is the boyshort is £30. But worth it if it lasts I guess (overall might be cheaper).

Ouch, that's really expensive. I do one wash a week so that would cost far too much. I also don't think I'd trust them.

I had periods in the 80s and you didn't flush tampons etc then. All the bumph I ever read said "bin it". And that's what I was taught at school.

I only recently started putting them in the bin as I had been told to flush them and the applicators (I usually used non applicator tampons)

I wrap and put in the bin now

Like some other posters have mentioned back in the 80's you could flush tampon, applicator and wrapper plus i also thought sanpro bins were for pads/towels. When the instructions on the box changed why would I read it?! (I'm in my 40's)

I'm in my 40s too - two months short of 50 actually - and I somehow managed to get the memo to stop flushing. It's everywhere, not just on tampon boxes. Managing to miss it just seems a bit convenient

Where is everywhere

It wasn’t that long ago (only a few years) that pearl Tampon’s were advertised as the handy applicator was flushable

That awful plastic thing

I feel really weird because I was always brought up to bin not flush. It never occurred to me to flush. I didn't even look at the box - just always put in the bin - after all, that's why there are bins in public toilets and they don't do down the loo there.

Don't make plastic an excuse. It's better to use small plastic bags to wrap up sanpro and/or a bin liner in your small bathroom bin than to flush out of squeamishness. As long as you put them in your dustbin they will end up safely incinerated or in a landfill not the ocean.

How do we reach the landfill is better judgment? Not all public toilets have bins the ones where I work it says are for sanitary towels only . I've just ordered a moon cup though, based on this thread that must be better than both so thanks for making me think.

A sign about Sanitary towels will include tampons too.

Probably but that isn't what it says

How the hell would you flush a nappy?!

I thought everyone knew not to flush.

The only things that should go down the toilet are the three ps (piss,poo and paper).

Reusable sanitary protection is definitely the way to go environmentally, and means you won't have anything lurking in bins. There are lots of options nowadays: menstrual cups, washable pads, and even absorbent knickers eg thinx

I've had my garden flooded with sewage 3 times- caused by sewers blocked by wipes and tampons/towels. I really enjoyed clearing that off my lawn and flower beds. Not.

Yep, where is everywhere? I live out in the country. The local pub I go to definitely doesn't have any signs. I haven't been into the city centre since 2017, went to las iguanas. Don't remember any signs there. Not everyone goes into public toilets more than a few times a year (disabled). Not everyone leaves their house or flat for that matter as well. What would someone have to gain by saying they didn't know you weren't mean to flush them but they know now? Nothing apart from being called stupid. I can understand if you live in London and go into public toilets every day or week you might see way more signs but some people will not.

I agree Skybluee. Apart from on Mumsnet (and the small print on the box, not read!) I've never seen any other info telling me not to flush it apart from becoming aware several years ago that the wrappers and applicators had changed to 'non flushable'

Only learned last week i wasnt supposed to flush (on another thread on MN). In my 40s. Never got the memo either. Had lunch that week with GFs and none of them knew either so clearly we have AKL been hiding under a rock.

I have been in a Waste Water Plant where Sanipro ended up in a trough at the Rag screen, a man physically shovelled from there into a skip.

The most disgusting job I have ever seen anybody do. Disgusting that companies ever encouraged them to be flushed. Disgusting the country allowed it. Disgusting job, plant are better now but i bet there are still places where they are manually shovelled into a skip.

I’m also in my late 40s and when I started using tampons in the early 80s the advice on the box was that they were flushable, wrappers and applicators too. I wasn’t told otherwise by my mother and we certainly didn’t have any education about periods at school.

Oh dear I always flush them I didn’t know

I think the best thing this thread has done is highlighted the do not flush rule to more people. I'm only 26 and my mom taught me to flush tampons and rip a pad in half and do a flush for each half.
I hated doing it (a full pad is fucking grim to rip in half and then wait with half in your hand while the first half flushes) and I'm not particularly bothered by period blood.
As soon as I moved out at 18 I've had a bathroom bin, just change it more regularly during your time of the month.
I think it's mostly just bad advice that has been passed down.