· Even the tiniest item like a thread of dental floss, a contact lens can contaminate waterways.
· The small fragments of plastic contact lenses are believed to be contributing to the growing problem of microplastic pollution.
· The contact lenses are impervious to the bacteria that break down biological waste at treatment plants.
· Pharmaceuticals, which are also frequently flushed down the drain, have been found in our drinking water, and the consequences are not fully known.
· Products like wipes and tampons are also clogging sewer systems, resulting in billions of dollars in maintenance and repair costs.
· Many wipes claim on their packaging to be “flushable,” but almost all of them contain rayon or viscose resulting in rayon accumulating in the oceans.
· It is often assumed that tampons can be flushed down the toilet, in part because they are so small. But their absorbent materials, including the string, do not break down easily: They cannot be processed by waste water treatment centres, and can damage septic systems.
· Waste water treatment plants are not designed to filter out pharmaceuticals, so drugs that are disposed of in the toilet or the sink drain end up entering streams, rivers and lakes.
· A study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey found prescription and nonprescription drugs and hormones in 139 streams across the U.S. during 1999 and 2000.
Source : The Hindu