The Responsible Flushing Alliance Offers Safe Summer Travel Tips for Cleaning Up When You’re on the Go

RFA is dedicated to consumer education on the “Do Not Flush” symbol to help reduce damage to our nation’s sewage systems caused by wipes not designed to be flushed.

“Consumers can check wipes packaging for proper disposal instructions,” said Lara Wyss, president of RFA. “If you see the ‘Do Not Flush’ symbol, toss it in the trash, never the toilet. Disposable non-flushable wipes are made with long, synthetic fibers for durability and don’t break down in water.”

SEATTLE (PRWEB)
July 13, 2022

There is more to safe summer travel than careful driving, especially as Americans enter our third summer in a global pandemic. For those planning to take to their skies or head out on the road trip of a lifetime, the Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) is providing four key tips to help keep travelers stay healthy and having fun when on the go.

The Responsible Flushing Alliance is leading the way with its #FlushSmart consumer education campaign. RFA is dedicated to keeping homes and communities healthy through proper flushing practices. This includes supporting clear and prominent labeling of all items that should not be flushed, including promotion of the “Do Not Flush” symbol on non-flushable wipes.

Disposable sanitizing wipes are handy additions to travel plans. And how to stay healthy while traveling this summer is a hot topic as there are more than 162 million news stories online, according to a Google search.

Safe Summer Travel Tips

1.    Keep your Paws Clean: A travel pack of personal cleaning wipes in purses or bags can help keep things clean when a mess strikes but a sink is nowhere nearby. These are great for cleaning hands and can also be a generous offer to share with travel companions in tight quarters, too.

2.    Disinfect Surfaces: Here’s where a sanitizing wipe can really shine; use them to take a quick pass on high-touch areas that may not get a daily cleaning—from airplane armrests and tray tables to hotel room desks, faucets, and switch plates. Make sure the wipes land in the trash where they can be disposed of the right way.

3.    On-the-Go Swipes: Even at in-between moments while you’re in motion, like hitting an elevator button, or pushing open a restaurant door, a smart swipe of a sanitizing wipe can help you stay one step ahead of avoidable germs. Make sure those helpful wipes are hitting the next trash can you pass, though.

4.    Scrub Your Suitcase: And once back home, give the outside of suitcases and travel bags a quick sanitizing wipe down, too. Even the treated fabric of soft-sided bags can stand up to sanitizing wipes to keep them ready for the next time the open road calls.

Here is RFA’s latest infographic on Fun Family #FlushSmart Travel Tips in both English and Spanish.

Knowing how to dispose of hand wipes, baby wipes, and other disposable wipes is important as when they are flushed, rather than thrown in the trash, they can cause clogs in home plumbing or sewer systems and can cause spills or contamination of waterways. According to the EPA, there are between 23,000-75,000 sewer overflows each year. Forensic analysis studies of materials found in clogs show that 98 percent of clogging materials are items never intended to be flushed, including baby wipes, cleaning wipes, period products, hand paper towels, and trash.

“Consumers can check wipes packaging for proper disposal instructions,” said Lara Wyss, president of the Responsible Flushing Alliance. “If you see the ‘Do Not Flush’ symbol, toss it in the trash, never the toilet. Disposable non-flushable wipes are made with long, synthetic fibers for durability and don’t break down in water.”

Sanitizing, cleaning, and baby wipes can contain microplastic fibers that don’t break down in regular wastewater systems. Before you swipe, make sure to check for the “Do Not Flush” symbol on wipes packaging and always make sure used wipes are thrown in the trash, not the toilet, once used.

Looking for more summer tips? Check out RFA’s latest blog post, “Learn What Not to Flush at the Family BBQ.”

For more information about RFA, visit the website at https://flushsmart.org.

About Responsible Flushing Alliance

The Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization dedicated to consumer education focused on what not to flush. RFA’s goal is to change consumer behavior to help reduce damage to our nation’s sewage systems caused by objects and materials not designed to be flushed.

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