Think before you flush

Protect wastewater pipes from blockages

Just because something can be flushed down the toilet without clogging the bowl doesn't mean it should be. The City of Vaughan's sanitary sewer system is not designed to dispose of anything beyond your 'personal business,' toilet paper and wastewater. Flushing any other materials down your drains can cause damage or plumbing blockages, which can be costly to clean and repair.

Here are some reminders on the items you cannot flush and where to properly dispose of them instead:

Hygiene products

Feminine hygiene products, wipes, tissues and paper towels cannot be flushed down the toilet. Place feminine hygiene products, tissues and paper towels in the green bin. All wipes - even ones labelled "flushable" - cannot be broken down and must go in the garbage.

Household hazardous waste

Household hazardous waste consists of corrosive, flammable, explosive or poisonous items. Examples include paint, many cleaning products and chemicals. These substances cannot go down household drains or catch basins and are not collected curbside. Drop them off at a York Region waste depotfor safe disposal.

Fats, oils and grease

If you're cooking with fats, oils, and grease, remember these materials can clog sewer pipes if disposed of down the drain, whether in a toilet or sink. Instead, leave these substances in the pan to cool, or pour them into a container to cool, then empty them into the green bin. Before washing your pots, pans and dirty dishes, wait for the fats, oils and grease to harden. Then, wipe the product with a paper towel or scrape it into the green bin.

You can also put used cooking oil in a tightly sealed container, no more than four litres, and take it to a York Region waste depot for disposal.

Other materials

To help safely dispose of other materials, use the City's online 'What Goes Where?' sorting tool to check where a waste item belongs. You can also download the Recycle Coach app through the Apple App Storeor Google Playto check what goes where. The app provides waste-less tips and a personalized collection schedule with optional alerts on what to put to the curb each week. To learn more about the City's waste services, visit vaughan.ca/waste.

For more information on the City's sanitary sewer system, visit vaughan.ca/wastewater.

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