Hawaii County Department of Environmental Director William Kucharski is asking those on the island to not flush any kind of wipes.  Although most brands say “flushable,” Kucharski says they are not biodegradable, and they stay in the sewer system forever…and clog it up .  For those on county sewers, it is imperative that they adhere to this request.  Kucharski says NO brand of wipes should be flushed.

Paper towels and napkins also do not biodegrade and can clog the system.  Kucharski says it’s crucial at all times to keep the County sewer system up and running, but at this critical time, it’s even more important.   Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there has been a significant increase in the use of cleansing wipes in homes and offices.

“These wipes are made with micro-plastics and do not dissolve in the waste water,” Kucharski says. “They stay whole after being flushed.”

Additionally, the structure of the wipes lends itself to clinging to and catching on rough pipe interiors and in pump stations, which push waste water to the sewage treatment plants.

If the sewer gets blocked, toilets and drains in homes and businesses can also back up.

Toilet paper is manufactured to dissolve in waste water.  So disposing of wipes, paper towels, and napkins in the garbage is the right thing to do.

Kucharski says wipes can also clog cesspools, causing sewage to back up into the home.  He says in septic tanks, the wipes generally settle to the bottom, but can clog the outflow lines.