Further calls to dispose of wet wipes and sanitary products correctly

Tue, 22 Nov 2022

Residents and businesses are being asked to consider the effects waste products such as wet wipes and sanitary products (known as ‘rag’) have on the environment and also critical infrastructure, if disposed of incorrectly. 

Manx Utilities “Bin it – Don’t Flush it” campaign has seen a 50% reduction in blockages over the last 7 years however, the organisation is still removing approximately 100 tonnes of rag a year from its treatment works across the Island in addition to attending local blockages.

The Island’s sewers are designed to treat and deal with human waste and toilet tissue only also known as “the 3 Ps”.  In areas of the Island where sewage treatment is not yet in place, they will end up in the marine environment or washed up on our beaches.  Wet wipes may also contain micro-plastic fibres, which do not biodegrade in the environment.    

Bill Dale of Beach Buddies said, “We only find wet wipes and sanitary products on beaches close to where there is no sewage treatment.  There used to be very high numbers of these items, but on many beaches we now rarely find these items which can only be good for the sea and wildlife.  I hope we can all help to build further on this success to protect our Island environment.”

Placing a bin in a bathroom will help stop the inappropriate disposal of items into the sewer system and potentially avoid costs associated with addressing unnecessary blockages and clearing of treatment works.

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