Cotton Bud Sticks
Cotton bud sticks (CBS) are almost exclusively made of plastic and will persist in the environment. Over half of the sewage related debris (SRD) by item numbers recorded during the Beachwatch surveys since 1993 has been made up of these sticks.
During Beachwatch 2008 Cotton bud sticks increased slightly from 97.5/km in 2007 to 100.5/km in 2008.
CBS are notorious for orientating themselves horizontally in sewers making it possible for them to pass through even very small mesh screens. They can also cause damage to drum screens, as observed in 1997 in the North of Scotland Water region (Ashley et al. 1999).
Blockages of sewage screens by CBS cost water companies money every year. They can cause sewage spills into rivers and flooding of property. When flushed down the toilet these products can create blockages in pipes that normally only measure 15 cm in diameter. It has been estimated that two-thirds of all blockages are caused in this way. The blockages drastically reduce the efficiency of the sewerage system and add to the problem of sewage flowing into the rivers and seas.
Sanitary product manufacturers have been urged by MCS and the ‘Bag It and Bin It' group to return to the paper-based cotton buds used until the late 1980s. and to label their cotton bud packaging with a message asking consumers not to flush them down the toilet.
How you can help
- NEVER flush CBS down the toilet
- Remind friends and family CBS can cause sewage pipe blockages which can lead to sewage overflows
- Write to your water company asking them to support educational campaigns which ask people not to flush CBS and other sanitary items down the drain
- Ask local stores to stock paper CBS
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