Tampons and a septic tank?

Question

Please explain to me why a used tampon cannot go down a septic tank? I thought because it is bio degradeable that it is safe to flush them. Also what about the cardboard tube? Isn't that the reason why its cardboard so it can be flushed? This is my first experience with a septic. Please enlighten me.
Thanks

Answer 1

It depends on how much you use your septic tank. If you send a lot of cleaning products down there from a dishwasher, washing machine, disinfectants in your toilet, then, no, you don't get a lot of biodegradation.

Breaking down of solids in the septic tank is because of biological action. However, many cleaning products and soaps are made to kill bacteria -- and bacteria are what causes the biological breakdown!

And one more thing to add -- sewage is not treated by chemicals, it is treated biologically -- in city wastewater treatment plants as well as in your septic tank. So everything you flush down your toilet causes this to be more or less efficient, no matter where you live!

I flushed tampons for many years in a septic tank, and never had to have it emptied. However, this tank was high (you have more trouble if your tank is sitting near the water table under the ground) and I was careful about the products that I used. Very little bleach, and very mild cleaners.

A bigger problem for tampons is that roots and things have a tendency to grow into old sewage drain lines and the tampons get caught on them before they ever reach the septic tank. Then you get a back-up and call the plumber and it is an expensive fix. And they tell you not to flush tampons. That may be another reason.

Answer 2

Simplest answer is IF it floats it is bad for your septic!

Just outside your house is a big tank that fills with water and your excrements. The incoming pipe is towards the top and opposite the incoming pipe is an outgoing pipe a little lower then the incoming. This goes to a drain field of many small pipes branching out to let the water back into the eco system.

These pipes have holes in them to let the water out. IF you have floating objects in the septic they go down this pipe and reduce the ability of the pipes to drain. This can not be fixed by emptying the septic tank.

All the solids which dont float collect in the bottom of the tank to be pumped out later if the bacteria can not eat it. SOOO in effect NO do not flush feminine hygene items. Or anything that floats like cigarette butts, or shop towels, etc.

Once the drain pipes get plugged the water starts to back up into the home, eick. AND you will have to pay alot more to correct the problem.

Answer 3

The old saying concerning septics is "If it didn't go through you, it shouldn't go through the septic". This is carrying it a bit far but has it's merits. Septics work by bacteria eating the solids. If you "overfeed" the bacteria can't keep up and you end up getting the tank pumped. Grease and oils are also hard on the system. Harsh chemicals or an overabundance of them can kill the helpful bacteria and defeat the process. Instead of Ridex, I use Draincare by Zep once a month. It is an enzyme drain cleaner that uses bacteria. It clings to and eats organic material. My last house had a septic with usage by 3 females and 2 males and not pumped in 11 years. No problems either. Use care and the septic will take care of itself.

Answer 4

Tampons do not biodegrade in sceptic tanks. The biological action in the sceptic system will not break them down. It will not break down the cardboard tube either.

Let’s start with the cardboard tube. It is not made of cardboard so that it can be flushed; it replaces plastic tubes as a renewable resource. Put the tubes in the recycle bin, wrap them in toilet paper if they are soiled, or better still, in the tampon wrapper that it came in.

Tampons are flushable, that is to say that they will flow through a normal, functioning sewage system. At the sewage treatment plant, they are removed mechanically and either burned or buried in a landfill. If the sewage system in your house is partially clogged, tampons will make things worse.

In a sceptic tank, tampons do not decompose; they accumulate, usually at the bottom of the sceptic tank. Check your local municipal regulations, they usually specify how often you need to have your sceptic system pumped out, typically every year or two. If your sceptic system is working perfectly, the tampons will settle at the bottom and be vacuumed up yearly. If your sceptic system has problems, the tampons will make the problem worse. At the very worst, tampons will clog the weeping system and it will need to be dug out and replaced. Understand that tampons will only accelerate a problem, not create it.

It is OK to flush toilet paper to a sceptic system. Try to use white or unbleached toilet paper because dyes and bleach kill the bugs that make your system work. Also, avoid laundry and dish detergents not designed for sceptic systems.

Be present when you have the sceptic system emptied. The service should include a visual inspection. The person emptying your system will have the experience to tell you how to care for your sceptic system and advise you if what you are doing will cause problems in the future. He may recommend that you have your system emptied more frequently, especially if it is undersized; that’s cheaper than replacing it.

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Tampons and a septic tank?
Please explain to me why a used tampon cannot go down a septic tank? I thought because it is bio degradeable that it is safe to flush them. Also what about the cardboard tube? Isn't that the reason why its cardboard so it can be flushed? This is my first experience with a septic. Please...

Answer 6

If you want to plug the drain field system, then by all means go ahead. The leach field or tile field will not drain if you put that in there the tampons will take decades to decay enough and in the meantime they can work themselves into the system and block up everything causing a back up into your home.

You could improve your system by adding a grinder system into your septic system contact your local favorite plumber regarding these types of systems..

http://www.inspect-ny.com/septic/SepticPumps.htm



http://www.mchd.com/septic.htm

Answer 7

Same thing with toilet paper, it is really not a good idea to flush either... What happens is the "items" doesn't desolve correctly and causes your septic tank to build up and it will become clogged.. Warning if you have to have it cleaned out you better have a good chunk of change because it is expensive! I have had septic tanks my whole life and HATE them... If you are just insisting on flushing the stuff go to wal-mart and buy this stuff called Redix

Answer 8

we have a septic and i would advise to throw it in the trash. You have to remember if you live in the city the sewage is treated with chemicals. If you have a septic than it lays in there unless you add ridx i would advise having 2 girls that used tampons to dispose them in your trash we had to keep calling a plumber because of this.

Answer 9

In the tampons instructions, they state that you should not flush down a septic system.

Answer 10

Another reason not to flush these things is that their mass is such that in the course of traveling through your drain pipes they may get lodged and cause a clog backing up the drain pipe.