Seattle calls out marketers claiming products are 'flushable' - releases disgusting video as proof

SEATTLE – City officials are fed up with marketers telling people that their products are ‘flushable’ when in fact they are clogging sewers nearly every day in Seattle.

“For the most part, the claims are a bunch of malarkey,” wrote Danielle Holstein with Seattle Public Utilities in a statement.

SPU posted a short video on YouTube showing what the clogs look like and how difficult they are to remove.



“Despite its steady pumping, the station requires continual maintenance to free it of paper towels, tissues, wet wipes, and other products that should have been put in the trash,” wrote Holstein.

The video is both disgusting and the city hopes infuriating to taxpayers who foot the bill each time this kind of maintenance is required.

“It costs about $1 million each year to clean and maintain all of Seattle’s 68 sewage pump stations,” wrote Holstein.  “King County maintains another 14 pump stations within the City of Seattle.”

Clogs aren’t just disgusting and expensive, they also cause sewage overflows which leak right into Lake Washington, Lake Union and the Puget Sound.

SPU says the solution to these disgusting clogs is to ignore marketing claims and flush only things produced by your body and toilet paper.

“Please do not flush paper towels, facial tissue, cotton swabs, personal and baby wipes, hair, dental floss, feminine hygiene products, condoms or cat litter,” wrote Holstein.  “Even products advertised as “flushable” cause problems in the sewer, as they do not easily break down.”