A blocked loo is on you
Toilet Blockers Anonymous (TBA) is a community for those who have mistakenly (or mischievously) blocked our toilets. Whether it's flushed toys, tissues, or mountains of non-flushable* wet wipes, we know you're not alone. At TBA, we share stories, strategies, and laughs to unclog our lives and flush out our problems.
Only flush the 3Ps: Pee, Poo and Toilet Paper!
Each year, we remove hundreds of tonnes of unwanted bathroom products and kitchen waste from waterways and our wastewater system, resulting in substantial costs for customers and the environment. This happens because inappropriate items are being flushed down household drains, causing blockages in the pipes. Since our systems are interconnected, what you flush down the drain makes a difference.
Don't be a toilet blocker. Blocked toilets stop now not later, only flush pee, poo and toilet paper.
* Non-flushable wet wipes are products that do not comply with the Flushable Products Standard (AS/NZS 5328:2022).
What makes you a toilet blocker?
Sydney Water spends $27 million clearing up to 20,000 blockages from our wastewater system. When household waste gets flushed down the toilet, it creates a clump that eventually blocks drains and clogs wastewater pipes.
So what's clogging up our pipes? It's the everyday items we often overlook: tissues, dental floss, hair, paper towels, and those sneaky non‑flushable* wet wipes.
Non-flushable* wipes
Tissues
Fats, oils & grease
Cotton buds
Hair
Paper towels
Non‑flushable* wet wipes
With non‑flushable* wet wipes contributing to a whopping 75% of blockages, it's time to be alert. Look for the flushable wet wipes icon on product packaging to ensure you're choosing wipes that are safe to flush.
Check for the flushable icon and ensure product features the Australian standard (AS/NZS 5328:2022) before flushing all types of wipes, including baby wipes, make‑up wipes and disinfectant wipes.
Tissues
Even though tissues look like toilet paper, it's important to remember they are not meant to be flushed. Unlike toilet paper, tissues don't break down easily in water. When you flush them, they can build up and cause blockages in the plumbing system. To avoid these issues, always throw used tissues in the bin instead of the toilet.
Fats, oils and grease
Fats, oils and grease should never go down the drain. When oil and grease hit the cool water in your wastewater pipes, they harden. They then combine with other waste like unflushable wet wipes to form a hard blockage known as a 'fatberg'.
Cotton buds
Cotton buds can't be flushed because they're made of materials that don't dissolve in water. If you flush them down the toilet, they can clog up pipes. Also, the cotton and stick can get tangled with other items in the sewage system, making blockages worse and causing harm to the environment. It's best to bin them.
Hair
While it may seem convenient to clean your brush in the toilet, it's important to remember that hair should not be flushed down the drain. Hair cannot dissolve in water. In fact, it floats and easily gets caught on its way out of the toilet, snagging whatever comes its way.
Paper towels
Paper towels, designed for superior absorbency and durability, are not meant to be flushed due to their inability to break down.
Take the Pledge
Now that you have learnt what you can and can't flush, let's take the pledge together:
"I swear to not be a toilet blocker. To not flush paper towels, tissues, hair or wipes that never break down.
I will not say 'Just this once' not even once. Or 'She'll be right' when I'm flushing wrong.
Because the cost of a blocked lav can be way more than what I have.
Blocked toilets stop now, not later. I'll only flush pee, poo and toilet paper."
What happens when we flush non‑flushables?
Non-flushable* items combine to form a hard blockage known as a fatberg.
These blockages can cause overflows which can be a health and environmental nightmare, with wastewater backing up and overflowing into homes, backyards and local waterways. What's more, you could be looking at an expensive plumbing bill to fix a blocked drain.
While the actions you take in your own household might seem small, you're one of nearly 5 million people contributing to Greater Sydney's wastewater every day. We're all connected, so what you do can make a big difference.
What can't be poured down the sink
Pouring fats, oils, milk or food scraps down the sink can cause serious blockages in your home’s pipes. These materials clump together, clog drains, create fatbergs and put extra pressure on Sydney’s wastewater treatment system.
Many people don’t realise that everyday household items can be harmful if poured down the sink.
