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This puzzles me............?

(44 Posts)
DanniRae Tue 10-Dec-19 12:07:30

Just a thought - I have a bad cold and am constantly wiping my nose which is running like a tap. Therefore I have to dispose of lots of tissues. My question is "Is it better for the environment to flush the tissues down the loo or put them in the bathroom bin?"
(Please don't suggest that I use real hankies and boil wash them - my nose is too sore to do that.)

4allweknow Wed 11-Dec-19 10:31:52

Always thought only loo paper to go down toilet
Tissues are bigger, thicker so may be harder to navigate the sewage pipes. In the bin for me. Haven't used a cloth hanky for decades. Carrying all those snotty germs about then allowing them free reign when bringing the snotty cloth out again, no thank you. Unless of course its single use cloths; soaked in bleach solution and then all washed together in one load.

Natasha76 Wed 11-Dec-19 10:48:13

In the bin. Think how much water you are using when you flush the loo.

Paperbackwriter Wed 11-Dec-19 10:59:46

Do you have an open fire or wood burner? I always burn used tissues if I have a cold bad enough to need a lot of them.

WOODMOUSE49 Wed 11-Dec-19 11:28:26

We use our log burner too. They don't recycle / compost very well. Gave up years ago with that.

Never ever put them down the loo. Septic tanks / Treatment Plants do not like them. We have big notices on our loos as we have macerators fitted: "Human waste and toilet paper only please"

ReadyMeals Wed 11-Dec-19 12:20:40

You might be able to put the tissues in the green food bin. My council allows paper kitchen towels. Ask your council. If they say its ok they will be composted with the food and become useful again

nanamac77 Wed 11-Dec-19 12:31:38

Mine go in the recycling bin

ReadyMeals Wed 11-Dec-19 12:42:38

nanamac77 you can't put used tissues in with normal recycling! It will cause them to have to discard an entire truckload of recycling materials. Only clean stuff must go into recycling. Or did you mean in the food bin?

Caro57 Wed 11-Dec-19 13:11:06

I had to spend a considerable amount of money getting drains replaced because people living in my house flushed tissues down the loo. Bin or burn

Mcrc Wed 11-Dec-19 13:12:00

Call me unfeeling about the environment...but when I have a cold I really don't think about where the Kleenex goes?

driverann Wed 11-Dec-19 14:29:46

Rub Vic Vapour rub into your chest and put a little bit underneath your nose/top lip it will then stop running and you won’t need any tissues, drink plenty of fluids. Get well soon.

grandtanteJE65 Wed 11-Dec-19 15:35:07

Surely if you put used tissues in the compost, the germs will just spread?

As a teacher I asked children with colds to put their used tissues in a plastic bag and close it firmly with the kind of metal strip used to close bread bags, then throw the full bag in the waste bin.

Most cold germs are, I believe air-borne.

Vic Vapour only works if you are not allergic to it! I can't be anywhere near it, cold or no cold.

ReadyMeals Wed 11-Dec-19 19:02:40

grandtante, if you use the council food composting scheme it's all super-heated to sterilise it.

rizlett Wed 11-Dec-19 19:07:31

I take Sudafed capsules until I'm sure the runny nose has gone - all that dripping drives me crazy. No tissues needed.

Naty Wed 11-Dec-19 21:13:59

Run hot water and wash your face with it. Look up sinus massage or sinus drainage videos and do those. Blow your nose into the sink with water on to save tissues.

Bijou Thu 12-Dec-19 11:06:47

Only toilet paper down the lavatory.
Only clean paper in the recycling.
Used tissues, soiled paper and pads in a bag in the bin.
I had enough of washing slimy handkerchiefs and bloody cloths when I was a teen ages and all these paper products weren’t invented.

FarNorth Thu 12-Dec-19 12:40:27

I'm gobsmacked at people saying they put snotty paper hankies in the recycling. shock

Gonegirl Thu 12-Dec-19 13:08:11

So am I! grin shock

DanniRae Thu 12-Dec-19 13:19:00

I am sorry if this is a bit too much information but by mistake, I recently dropped a smallish panty liner in a sink of water and when I realised what I had done I couldn't believe the size that it had grown to - it was huge!! So definitely don't flush them down the loo - I wrap in toilet paper and put in the bathroom bin.