Happy back to school month from the Responsible Flushing Alliance!

Although the summer fun might be ending, the excitement of a new school year is just beginning. It’s time to head back to the classroom with new school supplies, goals, and knowledge on #FlushSmart habits. Now is the time for students to share what they’ve learned about proper flushing with their classmates. After all, we all want straight A’s this school year, even during restroom breaks!

Just because it’s not your home’s plumbing system doesn’t mean you can send any wipe down the school drain. Always check for the “Do Not Flush” symbol on wipes packaging to know if that wipe belongs in the trash can or the toilet.

It’s essential for everyone to learn the importance of practicing smart flushing habits – whether you’re a student, a parent, or a teacher. According to our survey, 60% of consumers self-reported flushing something they knew wasn’t flushable in the past year. That can lead to a lot of damage in our shared sewage systems! This damage affects all of us. In fact, the cost of flushing non-flushable wipes alone (like disinfectant wipes, baby wipes, makeup wipes and more) resulted in about $441 million additional operating costs for public infrastructure nationwide in 2019.

So How Do We Practice Responsible Flushing Habits?

Don’t worry! There’s no #FlushSmart habits final exam. But there is an easy “cheat sheet.” The “Do Not Flush” symbol is there on all your favorite wipes packaging to tell you exactly how NOT to dispose of that wipe. But when kiddos are just starting to learn they may need a helping hand. Check out our fun and engaging Enrichment Materials for coloring books, arts and crafts and infographics to teach the little ones what not to flush when in the bathroom. Or if you need a stronger reinforcement, just remind them that flushing one too many non-flushable wipes can cause the Clog Monster to erupt… WATCH OUT!!!

We wish everyone a successful, educational and clog-free school year. Good luck!

The Responsible Flushing Alliance is leading the way with its #FlushSmart consumer education campaign. RFA is dedicated to keeping homes and communities healthy through proper flushing practices. This includes supporting clear and prominent labeling of all items that should not be flushed, including promotion of the “Do Not Flush” symbol on non-flushable wipes.

For more information, go to http://www.flushsmart.org or follow @flushsmart on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook.

About the Responsible Flushing Alliance

The Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) is a 501 (c)(6) non-profit organization dedicated to consumer education focused on what not to flush. RFA’s goal is to change consumer behavior to help reduce damage to our nation’s sewage systems caused by objects and materials not designed to be flushed.