The disposal of feminine care products

Take-a-Tampon, Leave-a-Tampon

2011-10-03T06:03:00.000-07:00

Take a Tampon, Leave a Tampon

Posted on September 29, 2011

The McKendree Review

The problem with this campus (McKendree University) is the lack of feminine hygiene products. Young college women sometimes forget to bring such items with them or their “time” comes unexpectedly. This is when the tampon dispensers in the restrooms become saviors; unfortunately, the dispensers at McKendree are often empty.

How do we solve this problem? Complaining to the people in charge could work. However, given all the new things this year, menstruation is not the utmost concern in everybody’s minds. No one can blame them. It is hard for others to sympathize unless they have experienced firsthand the awkwardness of starting one’s “time” in the middle of the day and being unable to make it back to their apartment or dorm room. This is on top of cramps, bloating, and general crankiness.

This may seem like a problem for only the women at McKendree, but it is actually a problem for everyone. If a girl has to search for a tampon or hope someone has one on her, she might miss or be late to her class(es). This creates a distraction for the classroom and the overall learning environment and it creates a problem for the people on campus, who must deal with angry women without tampons.

It is time to find a solution. I suggest a Take-a-Tampon, Leave-a-Tampon policy, like the penny system at the gas station. It would involve putting unused tampons in a universal box in the girls’ restrooms. Let us lack tampons no longer!

MY THOUGHTS: How about families in the US who cannot afford to purchase tampons and other feminine care products such as those on food stamps? Though not the same problem as the young ladies are experiencing at this University, it reminds me that I must try and focus time and effort to draw attention to this issue. Does anyone have data on the impact the lack of hygiene supplies have on tweens and teens in the US?

My German Shepard just ate a used tampon

2011-09-22T06:59:00.000-07:00

Reprinted from Just Answer.com

My German Shepard just ate a used tampon, I am about 95% sure of this. I came home to find the bathroom trash all over the living room. Everything that was in the trash was there (plastic applicator for tampon, shredded toliet paper) except for the tampon itself. He seems fine and the vet is closed. Should I take him in the morning or is this an emergency that cannot wait, or does he not need to go at all and just be watched?
Thanks

Answer
This is a fairly common object for dogs to swallow and most vets will have dealt with it a few times. My experience with larger dogs such as German shepherds is that they will usually get away with it and the tampon just pass straight through their intestinal tract. It helps that such objects are biodegradable.

MY ANSWER: Dispose of your tampons in a SCENSIBLES BAG!! The dog will never sniff out a tampon again in the trash.

But why do dogs eat tampons in the first place? Here's a good reply.
Before dogs were domesticated they hunted and killed their food in the wild. They haven't completely gotten rid of all their instinct from the wild. Your tampons have blood on them. Your dog probably thinks they are a food source.
Dogs are carnavors, they will eat almost anything that smells of blood.

Other comments:

Because they are dogs and you aren't disposing of them in such a way that the dogs can't get to them.

A dog could easily choke on a menstrual pad or a tampon. Try wrapping your used items up tightly in toilet paper, place them in a sealed bag of some sort to keep the dog from smelling them, and take the bag out to trash can as soon as you can.

My Great Dane was sitting in the middle of the living room. I could tell something was in his mouth. I went over and looked he had a string hanging out of his mouth. I pulled it and ..... You guessed it. Its totally normal part of living with pets.

Feminine hygiene marketing doesn’t skirt the issue

2011-09-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

Feminine hygiene marketing doesn’t skirt the issue

September 16, 2011 |

Celebrities are gabbing about it openly. A growing number of grooming products cater to it. And a recent TV commercial hails it as “the cradle of life” and “the centre of civilization.”

The vagina is becoming big business.

A generation that grew up with more graphic language and sexual images in the media is forgoing the decades-old practice of tiptoeing around female genitalia in favour of more open dialogue about it. To reach digital-age 20- and 30-somethings, who also have shortened attention spans, marketers are using ads that are edgier, more frank and sometimes downright shocking.

“Gen Y people are more relaxed about their bodies, so there’s more attention to products that people would have been embarrassed to talk about before,” said Deborah Mitchell, executive director for the Center for Brand and Product Management at the University of Wisconsin School of Business. “It’s part of this trend of women saying, ‘Hey, we’re not embarrassed to talk about this.”

The new freedom to talk about the vagina comes as marketers spend more to get women to buy products for the area. Ad spending for feminine hygiene products, including tampons, panty liners and cleansers, was up nearly 30% to US$218.9 million in 2010 from two years ago, according to Kantar Media.

Pop culture also has a lot to do with Americans’ – and companies’ – increased comfort with women’s nether regions. The term “vajayjay” became popular after media mogul Oprah Winfrey began using it on TV in 2007. Last month, actress Olivia Wilde, who stars on the Fox TV series “House,” described her favourite vagina tattoo on TBS’s Conan.

“I am about to pass out,” Conan said.

The openness has spawned an industry of products and services. “Vajazzling” – gluing on sparkly gems such as Swarovski crystals to jazz up a bikini wax – became a phenomenon last year when actress Jennifer Love Hewitt mentioned it on the former TBS talk show Lopez Tonight. It’s now a popular service offered by some salons across the country. For instance, the Brazil Bronze Glow Bar spa in New York, charges $25 for house designs like a butterfly, dragon and heart, and up to $100 for custom-made designs.

Big consumer products companies also are rolling out products for the vagina and using frank-talking ad campaigns to pitch them.

Energizer in 2009 introduced the Schick Quattro Trimstyle Razor, which has a bikini trimmer on one side. An ad for the product, which first aired in Europe and shows women dancing to a catchy song called “Mow the Lawn” as they trim hedges, became a viral hit online.

Kimberly-Clark makes fun of stereotypically touchy-feely feminine products ads in its campaign for a new line of pads and tampons introduced last year and put them in brightly coloured packaging.

In July, the company introduced a designer series that includes pads with flowers, polka dots and stripes printed on them and a limited edition pad and tampon carrying case designed by Sex and the City TV series stylist Patricia Field. An accompanying online campaign called “BanTheBland.com,” allows users to design their own pads using bright colours and patterns; winning patterns will be manufactured and sold for a limited time.

“There’s a lot of pressure these days for ads to go viral,” said Brian Steinberg, TV editor at trade publication Advertising Age. “If you want a viral pickup you have to be a little eyebrow raising.”

Some companies have stumbled over the line between provocative and offensive. In July, Fleet Laboratories, which makes the Summer’s Eve feminine products, has had mixed success with its “Hail to the V” campaign to market its cleansing products.

One 60-second TV ad touts the “power of the ‘V.’” It shows men throughout history battling each other while a voiceover says, “Over the ages and throughout the world, men have fought for it” and “it’s the centre of civilization.” The ad then cuts to a modern day woman standing next to a shopping aisle of Summer’s Eve products and the voiceover says, “So ladies, show it a little love.”

But another series of ads, which showed people of different races’ hands as puppets appearing to talk as though they were a vagina, was deemed racially insensitive and pulled from the air. The company apologized.

Rhonda Zahnen, a principal at The Richards Group, which created the ads, said despite the controversy, the company was pleased with the overall reaction to the campaign. She noted that about 25,000 have correctly completed its Summer’s Eve’s online “ID the V” body awareness quiz.

Originally published by MarketingMag.ca on September 16, 2011
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Copyright © 1996-2011 by Rogers Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.

Do people understand that treated wastewater is returned to the environment?

2011-08-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

In the United Kingdom

North East householders urged to look after sewers

by Michael Brown, The Journal
Aug 23 2011

HoUSEHOLDERS are being encouraged to play their part in helping to look after the region's sewers. The pipe network takes away the waste of 2.6 million people in the North East so it can be treated, before the cleaned water is safely returned to the environment.

Currently, water company Northumbrian Water manages 16,000km of sewers. But, from October 1 this year, around another 13,500km of drains, which were previously the responsibility of residents, will also fall under their control.

Ahead of the changes, which every customer will be notified about by letter, the firm is urging people to think twice about what they flush or tip down the sink.

A spokesman for Northumbrian Water, Alistair Baker, said sewers were a vital artery for a clean, healthy life and it’s in everyone’s interests to look after them.

“Blockages in sewers cause homes to flood and damage the environment, and North East bathroom habits are rubbish – literally,” he said.

“They are among the worst in the country for using the toilet as a rubbish bin, flushing items, especially sanitary-related products, which can end up on the region’s beaches.

“Disposable products such as tampons, sanitary towels, nappies, wet wipes, toilet roll tubes, cotton buds and condoms should be put in a bin and not flushed down the toilet.”

The water company spends hundreds of thousands of pounds a year screening debris out of the sewer network, and sends 9,000 tonnes of sewage-related rubbish to landfill every year from its 437 sewage treatment works.

So, as customers ultimately pay the costs, the company say it’s in everyone’s interest “to bag it and bin it”.

But it is not just bathroom waste that causes a problem – fats and grease also clog the water network’s vital arteries.

Every day, people and businesses pour hundreds of litres of cooking oil and roasting juices down the sink.

The fat cools, hardens and builds up on the walls of the sewer pipe, eventually blocking it.

However, on October 1 not all pipes will transfer. Householders, landlords and businesses will still remain responsible for private drains serving their property within its boundary, as well as gutters and down pipes.

The pipes that will transfer from private to water company ownership are those outside the boundary or those within the boundary which are shared by other properties and which connect into the existing public sewer, often located underneath the road outside.

The transfer will be automatic and customers do not need to take any action.

Read More http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/08/23/sewer-plea-as-rules-change-61634-29283393/#ixzz1W3aYxS9H

Tampon applicators common on beach

2011-08-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

Found on the beach in Carlsbad, California

Do not flush anything but toilet paper and human waste down the toilet! Trash like this can end up in our oceans, rivers and lakes.

2011-05-03T06:05:00.000-07:00

'Don't flush it, bin it' call to help keep beaches clear of debris

DANGEROUS: Bathroom-related rubbish found on beaches can include cotton bud sticks, razor blades and even syringes
THROWAWAY attitudes can lead to South Devon's beaches being polluted with household waste.

The British public are putting far more down their toilets than they should be and the result is some beaches have unsavoury items like cotton buds, condoms, sanitary towels and tampon applicators, says the Marine Conservation Society in publishing a beachwatch survey.

In South Devon eight volunteers surveyed 32 metres of beach at Churston Cove and 17 covered 1,800 metres of Dawlish Warren national nature reserve.

Beachwatch officer Lauren Davis says the survey nationally reveals a shocking picture of what people do in the privacy of their own bathroom.

She said: "But sewerage networks and waste water treatment works are not specifically designed to remove these sorts of items and unfortunately more and more are ending up in our rivers and then on our beaches."

The conservation charity's call for items to be binned rather than flushed is backed by Torbay Council and South West Water.

A Torbay Council spokesman said: "We support any efforts to encourage people not to flush items down the toilet that can cause problems in sewerage networks and water treatment works.

"We go to great lengths to ensure that the Bay's beaches are clean and tidy, with our beach teams working hard to keep them looking their best.

"Torbay has some of the cleanest bathing waters in the country and is currently top of the league table, alongside Isle of Wight, with a record 14 Blue Flag and Quality Coast Awards which recognise beaches that are clean, attractive and well managed."

The council says all the main beaches are cleaned manually every day throughout the summer bathing season, and a rota of mechanical cleaning is gradually increased as the season progresses.

"The smaller beaches are regularly checked and cleaned as required. Not all the smaller beaches are the responsibility of Torbay council.

"It is now very rare that any bathroom-related debris is found on our beaches."

The situation greatly improved when South West Water modernised the sewerage system, which was already screened to remove unsavoury items.

South West Water said: "We spend around £1 million a year clearing blockages caused by people flushing everything from cotton buds and nappies to bandages, plasters, razor blades, needles and syringes.

"The sewerage network is not designed to cope with these items, and flushing them can cause flooding and blockages."

Although modern sewerage systems like Brokenbury in Torbay screen out these items they can still end up on beaches if a house has a wrong connection to a surface water drain.

It says combined sewer overflows which operate in heavy rain to protect property from sewage flooding, also discharge into the sea or watercourses but also have screens which would remove the majority of these items.

The spokesman said: "Plastic items, such as cotton bud sticks, take a long time to break down in the environment unless they are physically removed."

Nationally the beachwatch survey shows that last year average litter levels increased by six per cent, with a rise of more than 40 per cent in sewage related debris.

Only two regions – Northern Ireland and the North West – saw a decrease in the amount of bathroom waste found on beaches, while the largest increase was in the North East, with a 230 per cent increase followed by Wales with a 110 per cent rise.

Huge rise in bathroom rubbish on UK beachesMarine Conservation Society urges public not to use toilet as a bin, after cotton buds and condoms make ret

2011-04-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

The amount of bathroom rubbish spread over Britain's shoreline has risen by an average of 40% in the past year, a survey has found.

Cotton buds, condoms, sanitary towels and tampon applicators were among the items recovered at the Marine Conservation Society's Beachwatch Big Weekend last September. Overall there was a 6% increase in average litter levels on Britain's beaches compared with a similar survey in 2010.

Marine Conservation Society beachwatch officer, Lauren Davis, urged people to stop using their toilet as a "wet bin". She said: "[Bathroom rubbish] is being flushed away with an 'out of sight, out of mind' perception. But sewerage networks and waste water treatment works are not designed to remove these sort of items and, unfortunately, more and more are ending up in our rivers and beaches."

Almost 5,000 volunteers cleaned 376 beaches across the UK for the Big Weekend, covering a total of 167km. Over 330,000 items of litter were collected; 7% of it was bathroom waste, which included almost 16,000 cotton buds.

Only the north-west of the UK and Northern Ireland saw a decrease in the amount of bathroom rubbish found on beaches compared with the previous year. The largest increases were in the north-east, where levels tripled, and Wales, where they doubled.

UK water companies backed the Marine Conservation Society's push for people to stop flushing rubbish. Edmund Bramley, Yorkshire Water's environmental regulation manager, said: "We support the Marine Conservation Society's call for people to dispose of bathroom waste responsibly, by placing it in the bin, rather than flushing it down the toilet. By flushing things like baby wipes, cotton buds or nappies down toilets, people can end up causing damage both to their homes and the environment."

Hugo Tagholm, director of the clean water campaign Surfers Against Sewage, said: "We of course see this first-hand on lots of beaches around the UK, and it's unfortunately no huge surprise to us. It's worrying to see the continuing trend of increasing litter on our coastline, and it's something we're actively tackling with our nationwide supporter and membership base."
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About this articleClose Huge rise in bathroom rubbish on UK beachesThis article was published on guardian.co.uk at 07.00 BST on Thursday 21 April 2011. It was last modified at 07.00 BST on Thursday 21 April 2011. It was first published at 12.06 BST on Wednesday 20 April 2011.

Restroom: Feminine Hygiene Products as published in Housekeeping Solutions

2011-04-19T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hat's off to Housekeeping Solutions and author Kassandra Kania to openly discuss FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS AND DISPOSAL in April's Digital Edition of Housekeeping Solutions!

"Feminine hygiene products typically receive little attention in the industry. Embarrassment and lack of knowledge are often at the center of a male-dominated custodial staff's reluctance to discuss this category."

In regard to the section on Hazards of Handling there are significant problems with the commonly used waxed paper liner bags. OSHA expects the receptacles to be lined to protect the cleaning staff from coming in direct contact with soiled feminine care products. As cited in the article, these liners do not hold their form and discarded waste piles up outside of the bag. Thus, cleaning staff must reach their hands into the receptacle to remove the waste.

Thank you to Darrel Hicks with St Luke's Hospital for discussing an improved specially designed scented poly liner bag that provide housekeeping staff with features and benefits to make removal safe, efficient and hygienic.

www.cleanlink.com/hs/article.asp?id=13000&keywords=restroom,+feminine,+hygiene,+sanitary

7 Common Items That Should Never Be Flushed – Prevent Clogged Toilet

2011-03-10T18:21:00.000-08:00

by Heather Levin

There’s a pretty popular TV commercial that’s been on lately for a well-known toilet maker. In the commercial, a guy sees a very pretty female plumber going into his neighbor’s house to fix a problem. Obsessed with the fact that he want this girl over to fix his pipes, he starts flushing everything he can down his toilet to clog it up.
Diapers, toys, and even entire plants are flushed down the toilet. Miraculously, the thing never clogs. If you’re interested, the video is embedded at the end of this article.
Although the commercial is funny to watch, in real life, flushing all that junk down the toilet can cause some serious problems for your plumbing lines. Not to mention all the water it wastes, and the problems it could cause down at your local water treatment plant. These treatment plants were designed to dispose and treat specific items. Adding new things to the mix can cause blockages, which take time (and taxpayer money) to fix.
So, do want to know some commonly flushed items that really need to go in the garbage instead? Let’s take a look.
7 Things You Should Never Flush
1. Diapers
Yes, people really do try to flush diapers down the toilet, and it’s more common than you might think. Diapers will clog a toilet, or an outgoing line, in a heartbeat. They should always go in the trash.
2. Tampons and Sanitary Napkins
Some experts claim that flushing tampons and sanitary napkins causes the majority of household clogs. The reason is because cotton snags easily, and if your home’s plumbing pipes have any cracks or root infiltration, the cotton can quickly get caught in the line. After a few flushes, buildup can occur and you’ll have a clog on your hands. This gets expensive, especially if the clog occurs in the line from your house to the main city line.

Another reason why you should never flush tampons or sanitary napkins is because cotton doesn’t easily break down in water. This could cause some serious problems over time, especially if you’re using a septic system.
Plus, the waste water treatment facility has to remove these items as “solid waste” and tote them to the landfill. These items should go in the trash.

Helpers find gross and weird trash at beach cleanup

2010-12-28T07:31:00.000-08:00

By LAYLAN CONNELLY

Piles and piles of debris that came gushing down the San Gabriel River during the past few days were picked up by about 300 volunteers in Seal Beach Monday morning. The "After the Storm" cleanup was organized by Save Our Beach.

There were the usual suspects, like the Styrofoam, plastic bottles and tennis balls.
Then there were the strange, bizarre and simply gross – a couch, a black bra, and a blue plastic tampon applicator.

Plumbing problems and feminine care products

2010-11-29T09:56:00.000-08:00

Submitted by a former Frat brother....

When I was in college in the late 1980s, I lived in a fraternity house that had previously been a 2 or 3 bedroom family home probably built in the 1940s. I was the
sweetheart of a sorority and one Friday evening sponsored a party for
them at the house complete with a keg of beer. My fraternity brothers
razzed me about being their sweetheart, but they tolerated it and were
cool about the party.

They were less tolerant a few days later. Thats when the bathtub in
the ground floor bathroom filled with raw sewage and the toilet
started to overflow with it as well. Our pledged tried to unclog it
with plungers, but that just forced the sewage out of the pipes and it
began leaking into the basement (where a bedroom was located). We
finally called the plumber and he uncovered the problem: A mass of
tampons and sanitary napkins had been flushed down the toilet at the
party and had clogged where the pipe met the city sewer system at the
street (about 75 feet from the house). For two days the sewage backed
up and fermented until it pushed back into the house.

It was the last party I ever hosted at the house.

TSA and Sanitary Pads

2010-11-22T06:52:00.000-08:00

Pat downs at airport include hands in underpants and removing prosthetic breast

IS THIS FOR REAL????

Repeated from Sacramento Examiner

What would you do if you were in the Sacramento airport and objected to the way your were being patted down or you questioned how or whether the agents were trained to monitor the measurement of radiation from full-body scanners? And what if you asked who monitors or watches the technicians that adjust the amount of radiation from the scanners that each person actually receives?

Which are more important for Sacramentans? Those questions above or whether pat-downs are too personal? Are those pat-downs going too far in airports? Women and men in other airports are raging about agents putting hands between underwear and skin to touch what's under that soiled sanitary napkin worn in your underwear. They're also enraged about being asked to remove a prosthetic breast when you're a cancer survivor.

What the passenger objected to was not only the gloved hand of the female agent touching her breasts, but according to the article the passenger explained, "Then she (the agent) went into the top of my slacks, inserted her hands between my underwear and my skin... then put her hands up on the outside of my slacks, and patted my genitals."

That passenger complained to the TSA supervisor and then on the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) website. Besides the many complaints about screening, the ultimate violation will come one day when someone who is supposed to pat down a female puts her gloved hand inside another passenger's underwear and gets her glove soiled by reaching to see what's being hidden in someone's sanitary napkin. It's bound to happen sooner or later.

Theoretically, that agent's possibly going to get a handful of body fluids. It's going to be a scenario similar to that or someone accidently disconnecting a colostomy bag and having their gloved hands covered in excrement. Or reaching inside of an incontinent person's plastic incontinence travel pants and getting soiled with urine. You can imagine what the TSA agents or private security individuals hired are possibly going to encounter in their plight to carry out their first priority which is safety.

Where is the line drawn between what agents are supposed to look at and what they think they want to see? For example, they are not supposed to ask cancer survivors to remove their prosthetic breasts, just to look at them.

Some agents may be so worried about 'contraband' being stuffed into a prosthetic breast, that they ask the person to remove the prosthesis from the bra. Basically, if anything was hidden in a cancer survivor's prosthetic breast, it would be inside, and the agent would have to rip apart the expensive prosthesis to see what's sewn or packed inside of it.

In the November 20, 2010 news article, "Cancer survivor forced to show prosthetic breast to TSA agents during airport pat-down," a flight attendant working for an airlines for more than 30 years was forced to show her prosthetic breast to a security agent during a pat-down at one U.S. airport. The flight attended is named in the article. As a cancer survivor, the flight attendant didn't want more radiation build-up of a full body scanner. So she chose to undergo the pat-down.

She went to a private room to be screened by a female agent performing a pat-down that resulted in being asked to remove her prosthesis from her bra to show to the agent. Unknown to her at time and apparently to the agent is that it's okay to ask to see a prosthesis, but not to ask a person to remove it to show close-up. Imagine being asked to remove your prosthetic arm or leg to show. So why be asked to remove a prosthetic breast after a masectomy?

If there were dangerous items in the prosthesis, they most likely would be sealed inside. Did the agent shake the artificial breast up and down to see whether loose bolts or other devices inside the prosthesis made noise? Are airports going too far? How far do you go when safety is the first priority? And which comes first, the health of the passenger or flight attendant or safety in general for all? How would you handle this situation if it were you as the agent or the passenger or flight attendant?

That's some of the shortcomings where the agents are supposed to look at a prosthesis, but why ask you to remove it? If harm was intended, the harmful substance would be deep inside the prosthesis and probably not be able to be seen even if you take it out and shake it. But the only one who can tell that to an agent who is going to pat you down is the agent's employer who needs to tell the agent you can look but you can't ask someone to remove a prosthesis.

People are being annoyed by this health trend of more invasive pat-downs or radiation-mongering scans. And a big question is whether the agents are informed just how much radiation is going to build up over the years in frequent flyers. What if the radiation is more than you're told? Again, when it comes to healthy trends, somebody has to watch the watchers to see whether they are doing their job safely and not abusively or just simply not given enough information.

.

Who is responsible for repair bills?

2010-10-18T07:25:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting post that I want to reprint because if brings up an important issue. Who is responsible for plumbing repair bills when tampons clog the pipes? I say it is the tampon manufacturers who label their products as flushable!!

The owner of my house is making me pay the 220 dollar plumbing bill should i ?
our toiletts recently became backed up and clogged and we alerted the owner strait away. he wouldn't get a plumber and he got a couple friends of his to try fix it . after nearly 3 days of us not being able to use water or toiletts and the his *friends gave up and said to call a plumber. we asked him if it was ok and he said yes. the plumber found that the toilets were blocked by tampons in the drains. i live with 2 females. but both of them use the bin we have. we have only been living in this house 2 months and i dont see how if they did, they could mange to clogg it up so bad. the owner is making us pay the bill is this fair?

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Answer:I would not pay the plumber bill if I knew you and the rest of the people their did not throw anything like personal products in the toilet.The owner is responsible to have both toilets in good working order.You were not able to use the toilets for three days and not to include the inconvenience and mess you all endured.The home owner was responsible to call the plumber and take care of the bill.Good luck.However he could instruct you if any further problems with personal items occurred you would be responsible to pay the bill.

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Answer:It depends on the lease (if there is one), rental agreement (in writing if there is one), and the state in which you live. In MA, a landlord cannot charge for such things unless there is a writing (must be in writing) that states otherwise. If there is not and you do not pay, expect a less than cordial relationship, however.

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Answer:It all depends on how the lease is structures. You need to pull out your lease agreement and see if your responsible for blocked toilets. More often than not the renter is responsible for blocked toilets. If its not in the lease agreement then I would not pay it.

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Answer:If you owned the house would not the toilets be stopped up the same as they were?

The landlord did not stop up the toilets.

It would be better for the females to throw their tampons out the window than to drop them into the toilets.

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Answer:yes, you should pay this money. the tampons were carelessly thrown down the toilet while YOU were in possession of this place. the toilet did not clog itself. if you don't see how they managed to clog it so bad, I do.

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Answer:I think he should be giving you a warning this time and if it happens again you will pay. I advise you to read your lease to see if there are any other surprises!! You had better talk to your roomies and get this problem solved.Good Luck

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Answer:Tampons swell to 3 to 5 times there size depending on what size tampons. My daughter in-law clogged our 4 inch drain line by flushing them. sounds like your roommates need to pay for it unless your using tampons also. lol.

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Answer:I doubt the tampons in the drain could be from anyone else or this problem would have happened long ago

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Answer:pay the bill

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Answer:Average mature woman will use a minimum of 2 tampons per day during her cycle. Figure the cycle is 4 days. That's 8 tampons flushed down the toilet. 2 women means 16 tampons. That can easily clog a toilet. But I still think the owners reasoning, valid as it MIGHT be, is a bit lame. He rented to you knowing that there were women. He knows that women sometimes do flush the tampons. So I suggest that you talk to the landlord and tell him what you think (as stated here) and suggest that both you and he split the bill. And make sure that the ladies kick in their fair share. Good Luck.

Jersey Shore Damage Report: You Made Your Dirty Tampon Bed, Now Sleep In It

2010-10-04T12:20:00.000-07:00

Mike found a dirty tampon sitting on the floor of the bathroom. I'm not sure how he immediately identified it has Angelina's, though. Maybe by smell? Taste? Actually, I don't want to know.

He does the mature thing and sticks it under her pillow. When Angelina finds out, she of course, originally, sticks it under his pillow.

DISGUSTING!!!

How can I get this girl some Scensibles?

Kathy Griffin

2010-10-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

Posted on Twitter that her dog Larry just ate her tampon. Guess she doesn't know how harmful that can be!

WARNING! 4 Dog lovers only! Larry the dog just ate a dirty tampon AND it's applicator. 1.) He LOVED it 2.) Happy Friday!"

Do the menstrual cycles of women living together tend to synchronize?

2010-08-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

This amazing phenomenon was first described in 1971 by researcher Martha McClintock, now with the University of Chicago. Having asked around a bit, I'd say it's common knowledge among women, but I'll bet not one male in 50 has ever heard of it. Women do have their little secrets.

Synchronous menstruation has been observed among mothers, sisters, and daughters who live together, and sometimes among women who simply work together. McClintock tells of seven female lifeguards who started out one summer with widely scattered periods. Three months later they were all menstruating within four days of one another.

A study of 135 residents of a women's college dorm confirmed the effect. Most of the cycle shifting occurred within the first four months and was usually complete after seven months. Fortunately for the dorm's plumbing, the whole building didn't synchronize, just roommates and close friends. As often as not, the women were unaware of what had happened. Later research has suggested that synchrony is caused by some sort of scent cue, or pheromone.

Scientists at the Sonoma State Hospital Brain Behavior Research Center in California identified several women who were believed to be menstrual pacesetters--they made other women conform to their cycles. The scientists placed cotton pads under the dominant women's arms for a day, and then wiped the pads on the upper lips of five female subjects three times a week. (One wonders how much the subjects got paid for this.) Within five months, four of the recipients were menstruating at the same time as their donors.

Interestingly, men also have an effect on women's menstrual cycles--and not just because they make women pregnant. Women who associate with males frequently find that their periods become shorter and more regular. One woman told McClintock that she had a six-month cycle length until she began hanging out with guys, at which point her periods began occurring every 4.5 weeks. When she resumed her solitary ways, her cycle lengthened again. Another round of cotton pad experiments, this time using males as donors, confirmed this. Having sex with a man at least once a week will also do the trick.

Reprinted

Disposable wipes wreck wastewater treatment plants, will cost ratepayers plenty

2010-07-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

By KATHY LAMBERT
Mercer Island Reporter Contributor
Aug 04 2009

Most people are busy and need to fit their housework into crowded schedules. It is no surprise that cleaning products are increasingly marketed to consumers eager to get the job done as quickly as possible.

Supermarket shelves are teeming with products that beckon shoppers with the promise of ease and convenience, including a new product that has become wildly popular in the past few years — disposable cleaning wipes.

According to recent reports, North American consumers bought nearly 83,000 tons of disposable wipes in 2004, which is enough to fill about 9,000 semi-truck trailers. MarketResearch.com reports that 60 percent of adults have used household cleaning wipes, and sales are expected to reach the $2 billion mark by 2010.

However, convenience has its price.

While some products boast the added convenience of being flushable and safe for sewers and septic systems, the people who maintain and operate our local and regional wastewater utilities disagree.

King County operates a regional sewer utility that provides wastewater treatment services for 34 local sewer agencies. The local agencies collect wastewater from homes and businesses, and send it to the county’s regional system for treatment.

Sewer utility crews for both the local and regional agencies are increasingly being called out to do battle with large balls of “flushable” cleaning wipes, pads, facial tissues, baby wipes and feminine hygiene products that have become tangled in pumping equipment.

In a worst-case scenario, jammed up pumps can lead to raw sewage overflows into homes, businesses and waterways, which threatens public health and the environment. At best, these problems are making the treatment process more expensive for ratepayers.

The materials that do make it to one of King County’s regional treatment plants have to be screened out, removed and taken to a landfill for disposal, so “flushable” wipes often end up in the garbage anyway. However, using the sewer system to transport trash is a very expensive and inefficient way to get it there, not to mention a waste of resources such as energy and water.

In 2008, King County spent well over $100,000 just to haul and dispose of sewer system trash in a landfill. This does not include the additional operation and maintenance costs of removing these materials and responding to the problems that they cause.

So why are some products labeled “flushable” when they don’t break down in the system? Producers of products are required to provide supportable data for environmental claims related to waste disposal. However, the existing standards for evaluating flushability are limited, according to a 2003 study published by the Water Environment Research Foundation. WERF is America’s leading independent scientific research organization dedicated to wastewater and stormwater issues.

According to WERF, flushability should be the subject of further study. Companies also should consider if and how the products are compatible with wastewater conveyance and treatment systems.

It is important to clarify that King County has not conducted tests on any particular brand or type of disposable or flushable products. Neither does the county discourage people from buying and using cleaning wipes.

King County does urge consumers who choose these products to dispose of them in the trash instead of flushing them down the toilet.

In fact, like most sewer utilities, King County and its customer agencies recommend flushing only bodily waste and toilet paper — that’s it. Everything else should be appropriately put in the trash, composted or recycled. Not only does this protect the local and regional sewer systems, but it can help residents avoid their own pipe clogs and expensive plumbing repairs.

So, in the quest to reduce costs and keep things tidy — from bathroom to baby — please do not flush items that may cause trouble. Please help protect public health, the environment and water quality and put used cleaning wipes, pads, swabs and anything else besides human waste and toilet paper in the trash, not in the toilet.

Kathy Lambert is the King County Councilmember for District 3 and is a member of the Regional Water Quality Committee and the King County Board of Health. Christie True is the division director of King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division.

More Safe to Eat off Toilet Seat than Office Desk

2010-07-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

Dr Charles Gerba once again researching germy spots and IT IS NOT THE TOILET!!
So then why do most public use restrooms provide toilet seat covers and ignore the most contaminated and disgusting restroom fixture...the feminine waste receptacle?

by Alexa Nemeth | Jul 22, 2010
According to the germ-busting microbiologist, Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona, you're safer to eat your lunch off a toilet seat than the average office desk. He advises not to eat in either place and to regularly sanitize hands and disinfect surfaces.

Gerba has been brought to New Zealand by a cleaning company to advise employers on simple steps to reduce staff sick days, reported the New Zealand Herald. Regularly sanitizing surfaces with disinfecting wipes has been shown to reduce sick days of office workers by up to 30 percent and of schoolchildren by more than 50 percent.

Gerba's research found that dishcloths at home typically harbor more E. coli bacteria than the toilet. "There are more fecal bacteria in your kitchen sink than in your toilet after you flush it. People nuke their bathrooms, but not their kitchens," he said.

"There are 200 times more E. coli on the cutting board than on a toilet seat. It's safer to make a sandwich on a toilet seat than on a cutting board in the average home." Many home cooks fail to properly sanitize the board after cutting up raw meat, or do not have separate boards for raw meat and ready-to-eat foods.

In the office, the "germiest" items are the phone and the desk top followed by the computer keyboard and mouse. The number of bacteria per square centimeter on a desk top is typically 400 times greater than on a toilet seat.

Gerba said schools and daycare centers were the most unhygienic workplaces in his research, because children were less likely than adults to wash their hands and they picked up lots of germs from playgrounds.

Germs are easily transferred from our hands into our noses, mouths, and eyes because children on average touch their faces 80 times an hour and adults 16 times an hour.

He urged frequent use of hand sanitizer and regularly cleaning desks, phones, keyboards, and computer mice with disinfectant wipes.

Least Hygienic Workplaces

The highest concentrations of harmful bacteria and viruses were found on surfaces used by:

1. Schoolteachers

2. Bankers

3. Accountants

4. Media workers

5. Doctors

Out of sight, out of mind?

2010-07-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

Bin It, Don't Block It

New UK Campaign to educate people on what should and shouldn't be washed away down the drain. We are so behind in the USA!! Just because our sewer system may be more modern we still abuse it!

http://www.thameswater.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/corp/hs.xsl/9137.htm

Tonnes of fat dug out from London's sewers

Next time you're tempted to pour leftover cooking oil down the sink, think again. A team of British sewer flushers is up against what they describe as "solid wall of fat" under London's Leicester square, the result of years of careless flushing by the city's inhabitants.

Most products which claim to be flushable, such as wet wipes, tampons, or cotton buds, in fact aren't. Just because you can wash them down your sink or flush them doesn't mean you should - it could come back to haunt you if your sewage overflows!

http://observers.france24.com/en/content/20100714-major-fat-cleanup-operation-london-sewers-fatbergs

Funny tampon commercial

2010-07-13T05:27:00.000-07:00

I am not in any way endorsing KOTEX products BUT this commercial is really funny! The feminine hygiene aisle in a grocery or drug store can be overwhelming with so many options especially for a man on a mission for his girlfriend.

What's so ironic is that women spend as little time as possible in that aisle--pick up a box and run! Would you ever even ask a clerk a question or another shopper? Especially younger girls who are mortified to buy products. And what happens at the check out? God forbid you go through the check out and it is a teenage boy at the cash register.

Check this out...it will make you laugh!

http://libybil.blogspot.com/2010/07/funny-tampon-commercial-kotex-help-him.html

How to Keep Women's Restrooms Germ Free

2010-07-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

The disposal of feminine care products in women’s restrooms is the problem no one wants to talk about. That is until now.

Now facility managers like Don Baker, Goodwill Industries are becoming aware of the problem and taking action. “ Frankly I never gave it much thought. Overall, I would say that this is an area us guys don’t take a close look at. I definitely see that this is an area that could use improvement.”

Dr. Charles Gerba, professor of Microbiology at the University of Arizona, has been studying bacteria growth in restrooms for more than two decades and has found that the number-one bacteria hot spot in a woman’s restroom is the “sanitary” napkin disposal unit. Beyond the contents placed in them, contaminants in the mist that emits from toilet flush can coat partition walls and the disposal units with hepatitis A virus, E. coli, salmonella, cryptosporidium, staphylococcus, and C. diff.

And the findings of a study conducted by Ethox International for The Scensible Source Co. are consistent with Gerba’s analyses. Additionally the study showed that unlined interiors of these disposal units yielded more than ten times the microbiological contamination of the exterior surfaces.

Restroom users and custodial workers are exposed daily to potentially harmful germs and blood borne pathogens with only minimal precautions available to protect them. Both hepatitis B and C are extremely hardy; and may survive outside the body for several days, even on a dry surface, and still be infectious. Since it is impossible to identify infected individuals before they use restrooms, facility management should follow standard precautions that treat all blood and bodily fluids, including menstrual blood, as if they are infected and potentially harmful.

Outside of health care facilities, there are no regulations in place to protect housekeepers or janitorial staff from exposure to blood or other potentially infectious material. OSHA guidelines simply dictate that feminine care products be discarded in waste containers that are properly lined to prevent contact with the contents.

Ann Germanow, Founder of The Scensible Source Company advocates for solutions to this dangerous restroom fixture. "When emptying and cleaning feminine hygiene product disposal units, there is a 'reasonably anticipated' expectation of exposure to bloodborne pathogens. That's why I asked experts in the cleaning industry to help write a best cleaning standard for these commonly found stall disposal units. Emptied usually daily, they are rarely properly cleaned."

Best Cleaning Practices Sanitary Product Disposal Receptacles
Safety Reminders: Wear protective gloves.
Procedure:
•Empty sanitary product disposal receptacle contents by removing the liner bag, sealing it and placing in lined cleaning cart trash receptacle or lined trash pickup container.
•Use extra caution when handling liner which may contain sharps such as needles.
•Visually inspect the inside of the receptacle and carefully remove debris remaining in the bottom and discard in trash.
•Use paper towel or other disposable wipes only.
•To properly clean, apply (via disposable wipes/spray bottle) an EPA registered hospital-grade disinfectant cleaner on interior and exterior of the receptacle including the lid, even when there is no visible soiling
•In order to be effective, always follow the recommended dwell time on the manufacturer's product label.
•To dry receptacle surfaces, use paper towels or other disposable wipes only and discard when saturated.
•To comply with the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, line the clean receptacle with one bag that will completely cover the inside surface and totally enclose discarded sanitary products. This protects the janitorial staff from coming into direct contact with materials containing blood or body fluids.
•Check the dimension of the stall receptacle to choose the correct size bag.
•The liner should reach all the way around the sides and to the bottom of the receptacle.
•Use one liner bag only; do not place multiple waxed paper bags in the receptacle.
•Handle the filled trash disposal container carefully; knowing that sharps and blood borne pathogens may be present. Do not sort through or compress trash with even gloved hands.
•Inspect your work to insure visible and hygienic cleaning standards are met; ATP measurement can help to verify organic soil removal.

Contributors: Allen Rathey, President of InstructionLink/JanTrain, Inc. and The Housekeeping Channel, LLC, Professional Edition; Lynn Krafft, Building Services Contractor and International Custodial Advisors Network, ICAN/ATEX Editor; Perry Shimanoff, MC2, Management, Maintenance and Cleaning Consultant; and Ann Germanow, Founder and CEO The Scensible Source Company, LLC

For more information, visit www.scensiblesource.com or ISSA at http://www.issa.com/?m=articles&event=view&id=3476&page=1&lg=&category=1

What's the point?

2010-07-01T05:29:00.000-07:00

"Low-flow, water-saving toilets significantly reduce the amount of fresh water consumed and the corresponding amount of blackwater generated." How effective are they really when people continue to flush inorganic waste such as wipes, tampons, wrappers, dental floss, etc into the wastewater stream? An extra flush to get that tampon down defeats the purpose of water saving toilets. A toilet back up wastes gallons of dirty contaminated water. What a mess to clean up!

The most common sewer problem facing a homeowner is a backup in the sewer line. Most backups can be prevented by taking notice of what is flushed down toilets and sinks
THROW THE FOLLOWING IN THE GARBAGE NOT DOWN THE TOILET:
• tampons
• condoms
• unused medications
• cotton swabs
• cotton balls
• bandage wrappers
• wipes of any kind
• disposable diapers
• nursing pads
• mini- or maxi-pads

A great definition of PUBERTY

2010-06-30T12:09:00.000-07:00

PUBERTY
Age of Maturity
Written by Na'Keya Thomas Executive Director of Amodestri Girls Club, Rochester, NY
An organization charged with improving the health and well-being of young girls, ages 5-13.

" A lot of responsibility comes with being a female. Puberty just happens to be something that cannot be avoided. You will experience growth; you will become taller and begin to gain weight. You will experience the development of different body parts. Hair begins to grow around the pubic area, under arms and legs. You may notice your face seems oiler and pimples may appear. During all these changes, your monthly friend may come into your life, better known as your period. You may also notice a different body odor which is common. Be sure to have a good habit of cleaning your face and body daily and wearing deodorant. Remember this is all a part of growing up. Don't forget to ask your parents questions!"

Enteric Bacterial Contamination of Public Restrooms

2010-06-10T14:23:00.000-07:00

Here are the facts:

Study conducted by Denise I. Kennedy, Carlos E. Enriquez, Charles P. Gerba

Study identifies those sites in public restrooms where enteric bacteria are likely to occur. Forty-seven public restrooms were randomly selected and analyzed.

Approximately 31 sites were sampled in 20 male restrooms and 28 sites in 27 female restrooms.

Sinks, floors, toilet seats, and sanitary napkin disposals were the most contaminated sites based on occurrence.

Female restrooms were more contaminated at all sites overall than male restrooms.

Coliforms were isolated more than 50% of the time at three sites, i.e., floor in front of the toilet, drain of the sink basin, and the sanitary napkin disposal.

The sanitary napkin disposal was the site where E. coli was most commonly isolated (almost 29% of the time)

Conclusions

1. Overall, the most contaminated areas in public restrooms were the toilet, floor, sink and sanitary napkin disposal.
2. E. coli was most commonly isolated at the sanitary napkin disposal, drain in the sink basin, and inside the urinals.
3. Female restrooms were significantly more contaminated than male restrooms.
High traffic institutional restrooms were the most contaminated, followed by fast food restrooms and hospital public restrooms.
5. Coliform bacteria were isolated more than 50% of the time at three sites, i.e., floor in front of the toilet, drain of the sink basin, and the sanitary napkin disposal.
6. Coliforms or E. coli were isolated at least once on all sites sampled except the urinal flush handle and the top of the urinal.
7. Mops used to clean restroom floors contained coliform bacteria, but not E. coli.
8. Restrooms containing one stall and four stalls/urinals were the most contaminated.
9. Appearance was related to bacterial contamination for those judged poor and those judged excellent, good and acceptable.
10. Coliform bacteria could be detected on the paper towel trash bin door and paper towel lever.

Young Dead Whale's Stomach Contained Plastic Tampon Applicators

2010-05-02T18:47:00.000-07:00

We must stop flushing trash down the toilet!!

Plastic applicators which are referred to as floatables are not easily removed at waste water treatment plants. They along with condoms and other items are pumped with the effluent into our waterways. Marine animals such as the whale shown in this story covered by KTVU in Richmond, CA, cannot tell the difference between trash and their natural prey, and so they swallow anything that resembles in color or shape what they normally eat. When ingested, this non- organic debris may stay in their digestive tract, causing blockages, damage to organs, or a false sense of fullness that leads to malnutrition.

So you see, these items don’t just disappear with the whoosh of a toilet handle. Dispose of EVERYTHING but human waste and toilet paper in the trash not down the toilet!!

To view:
http://www.ktvu.com/video/23226765/index.html

We need to advocate for change!

2010-04-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

I work in a large public building. The cleaning people leave brown bags for used feminine products in our restroom for days, and longer. I made a small tear on a bag and it has been there for over a month. Now, after reading about how REALLY unsanitary the bags are I regret touching it at all, even tho I thought it was a new one. I have placed notes to these people about replacing the bags and how it is considered hazardous waste. They do not listen. How do I make them understand??

Here are some ideas:

1. Find out who owns or manages the building (Is this a large facility?) and contact them directly with your concern.
2. Find out if the janitorial staff are independent or employed by a larger contract cleaning company. Contact a supervisor or someone with authority to express your concern.
3. Those who do the work directly at a facility are more than likely just following a set of procedures so I am not surprised that they are not responding to your notes.
4. Take a photograph with a cell phone to use as proof.
5. It sounds to me like the janitors are reaching into the receptacles with their hands and removing the discarded items. This is against OSHA expectations that the receptacles be lined to protect the cleaning staff from coming in direct contact with soiled items. The liner bags should be removed (with the content) every time something is disposed of.
6. Give me more info and without using your name I'll make some calls!!!
7. Please provide your name and address and I'll send you some sample packs of SCENSIBLES! Tossing them directly into the restroom trash can to avoid touching the stall receptacle.

Good Luck and thanks again for writing!

Dirty restrooms equated with subpar business standards

2010-04-16T12:47:00.001-07:00

What can cause 50 percent or more of people to flee a place of business without making a purchase? Time and again, surveys reveal it’s lack of facility cleanliness.

Take, for example, a group of consumers who were questioned not long ago by Opinion Research Corporation, a national market research firm. When asked how they would feel about entering a business with soiled floors, walls, or fixtures, 52 percent said they would leave immediately without making a purchase; another 26 percent said they would make a purchase—but only one, never to return again.

As it turns out, odors, dirt and grime act as tangible “cues” to people that a facility is poorly managed and has a sloppy staff. Or, perhaps more precisely, the surrounding environment is viewed as a threat to their health and well being.

Unclean restrooms provide an even a stronger incentive to send visitors scurrying for the nearest exit. A Harris Interactive survey, conducted for a national tissue manufacturer, discovered that nearly nine out of 10 people (88 percent) said they equated dirty restrooms with subpar business standards. And, as if that weren’t damning enough, half those polled, said they would spread the word to their family and friends about their unnerving restroom experiences.

Mankind’s reactions to threatening surroundings have long been documented. Consider, for example, those instances when primitive man encountered threats from wandering, large-toothed, prehistoric creatures. Every fiber in their body told them to run away as quickly as possible. Although now microbial in nature, today’s threats are equally scary …telling one and all to immediately sprint to safety.

Cross contamination on restroom hotspots

2010-03-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

Using disinfectants correctly to control cross-contamination

http://www.cleanlink.com/cleanlinkminute/rsscleanlinkminute.asp

Can you flush a tampon?

2010-02-24T14:12:00.000-08:00

Reprinted from Health002.com

Can tampons be flushed down the toilet?

A: TAMPONS SHOULD NEVER BE FLUSHED DOWN THE TOILET.Tampons are absorbent wads of material that expand both widthways and lengthways when they absorb fluids, this means they can easily plug up toilets and pipes within the building you are flushing them. There are approximately 2.5 million tampons flushed in the UK alone (not sure on US statistics, but guesses are they are a lot higher), these all contribute to a huge problem for local water authorities as their pipes get blocked and damaged by anything other than human waste and toilet paper being flushed – it costs water authorities approximately $25 billion per year to sort this out, that could be put to better use. Even the most advanced water treatment plants will still allow small debris through the system, this ends up in our oceans and on our beaches, per kilometre of beach you are looking at 14 tampons – so when you go walking along a beach remember when you see a used tampon it is likely to be one that someone carelessly flushed. Commercial tampon manufacturers claim their tampons are flushable, common sense says otherwise, also remember commercial tampons are full of chemicals so that just adds to chemical pollution as well as waste pollution. They say they are flushable because they like to emphasis the convenience of their products, although there are more convenient options that don't require as much changing or disposal such as menstrual cups. There are no laws to stop tampon manufacturers telling people this.Tampons should always be wrapped up in toilet paper or put into sanitary bags, this is what these things are made for, also why they have tampon and pad bins in women's toilets. You should be doing the same at home, if you don't have a bin with a lid already in your bathroom then buy or ask for one.

http://www.health002.com/Home/can-you-flush-a-tampon-down-the-toliet.html

Are sanitary napkin receptacles ever properly disinfected?

2010-02-04T15:42:00.000-08:00

Cross-contamination is the act of spreading bacteria and viruses from one surface to another. Since bloodborne viruses can live on objects and surfaces for up to a week, germs could be spread when surfaces are not disinfected the right way.

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health

10 Germy Surfaces You Touch Everyday

2010-02-03T10:13:00.000-08:00

In a study conducted by the Scensible Source Company, the most contaminated spot in the women's restroom--an unlined sanitary napkin disposal receptacles-had 83,000 microbial load. Now compare this to 1,000 microbes on an average toilet seat.

10 Germy Surfaces You Touch Every Day

Experts Tell Where Cold and Flu Viruses and Other Germs Lurk

By JOSEPH BROWNSTEIN and RADHA CHITALE
ABC News Medical Unit

Sept. 5, 2008—

Many surfaces and objects you come in contact with every day are covered in germs -- but then again, so are you.

"Ninety percent of you is composed of germ cells," said Philip Tierno, director of clinical microbiology and immunology at NYU and author of "The Secret Life of Germs."

He explained that while we are constantly in contact with germs, only a small minority will cause any harm.

"Of the 60,000 types of germs that people come in contact with on a daily basis ... only about 1 [percent] to 2 percent are potentially dangerous to normal people with normal immunity," he said.

That works out well for us, because pretty much any surface contains some of these microscopic organisms.

"There's very few surfaces that are truly clean," said Dr. Aaron Glatt, president and CEO of New Island Hospital in Bethpage, N.Y., and a spokesman for the Infectious Disease Society of America. "You're almost never going to culture something and not find some germs on it."

With that in mind, there is a simple activity that anyone can engage in to stay as safe as possible from surface germs.

"People should know that washing their hands is the single most important mechanism we have to prevent infection," said Glatt.

While he stressed that "the optimal goal is to practice good personal hygiene, good household hygiene and good food hygiene," Tierno also noted the importance of clean hands.

"You don't need to live in a bubble ... but you do need to be aware," he said. "You can touch surfaces, but just clean up before you eat or drink or before you touch your face. If you wash your hands prior to touching your face or prior to eating or drinking, which should be the norm, you cut your risk to virtually nil."
Purses and Wallets

Although they serve similar functions for women and men, purses and wallets are germy for entirely different reasons.

"It behooves you not to put your purse on the floor or outside ground if you can help it," said Tierno.

But many women don't follow that bit of advice, so their purses pick up the bacteria from wherever they're placed -- from the soiled ground to the bathroom floor.

While some might be willing to put it there because they think the floors are cleaned regularly and thoroughly, that isn't always the case.

"The way these places are cleaned is not ideal all the time," said Tierno.

Instead, he recommends putting your purse on a bench or a seat.

Wallets, meanwhile, pick up a lot of bacteria from what goes into them.

"Men's wallets were pretty bad on the inside," said Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona whose work has earned him the nickname "Dr. Germ."

Paper currency has a way of getting around, from germ-filled hand to germ-filled hand. It picks up germs, viruses and often trace amounts of illegal drugs -- that's not just an urban legend; several studies have confirmed that a majority of U.S. currency contains trace amounts of cocaine. And of course, all of that ends up in your wallet.

Because men keep wallets in their pockets, the wallet is close to body temperature -- an ideal temperature for bacteria to breed.

"When handling the contents of your wallet, after it, wash your hands," said Tierno.

The problem isn't as bad with coins, largely because the metals -- particularly nickel -- often kill many of the bacteria.

Remote Control

The next time you sit down for a late-night movie at home, you may want to keep your hand out of the popcorn bowl if you've been handling the remote.

People are constantly handling their remote controls -- and, as Gerba points out, nobody ever disinfects them.

No wonder, then, that it is often the dirtiest object in a hotel room.

Tierno recommends wiping it down at least once a week, and more often if someone who is sick handles it.

Gerba points out that sickness will make the remote even worse, because people who have a cold or the flu tend to "jump in bed with the remote control and contaminate it."

Laundry Machines

The Laundromat is hardly a bower of cleanliness, but even laundry done at home is rife with germs.

There is about 0.1 gram of fecal material in a piece of underwear, Gerba said. That amounts to approximately 100 million E. coli bacteria in an average undergarment load.

Unfortunately, only 5 percent of people use very hot water to wash their clothes and then dry them for a full 45 minutes, a process Gerba said would kill more bacteria. Skipping these steps means that transferring wet clothing into a dryer leaves a film of germs all over your hands.

To minimize exposure to harmful bacteria, Gerba recommends doing laundry that requires bleach as a first load to disinfect the machines and saving undergarments for a final load. He also cautions against using the same sorting tables for clean and dirty laundry since the E. coli from the dirty clothes will transfer to the table and then back onto your freshly laundered clothes.

"Your clothes are a lot germier than they were 50 years ago," Gerba said. "Never kiss anyone who has just done laundry for you."

Cutting Board

You may be better off preparing your food on another surface.

According to Gerba, there are 200 times more fecal bacteria on a cutting board than a toilet seat.

The reason, he explained, is that many people rinse off their cutting board rather than thoroughly washing it.

"You have potential pathogens when you're dealing with food," said Tierno.

He recommended preparing a solution of a quart of water and "a jigger of bleach" and then wiping down food preparation surfaces before making anything on those areas of the kitchen.

Your Phone

The telephone provides a convenient meeting place for two different sources of germs -- your hands and your mouth.

After all, as Tierno, pointed out, "People are the source of most of the germs."

These germs are not just from your hands, but sources like your saliva as well -- which is why the mouthpiece is often even dirtier than the handle.

And again, it's not a device people clean too often, which is why both land lines and mobile phones present a problem.

A study done in Israel last year showed that 20 percent of hospital workers' cell phones had some form of harmful bacteria on them.

Water Fountains

The moist surface area on the average water fountain is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and viruses.

"Everybody who has a cold or diarrhea has to drink a lot of water," Gerba said. "The sick people hang around here."

In fact, research has shown that water fountain spigots often have twice the amount of bacteria as a toilet seat, more than 2,000 microbes on a water fountain compared to less than 1,000 microbes on an average toilet seat.

"I'd go back to the bottle of water," Gerba said.

Buttons

These innocuous-looking offenders are difficult to avoid, which is part of the reason why push buttons can be crawling with germs.

Further, ubiquitous buttons, found on ATMs, elevators, telephones and drink machines, among other things, are located in areas that are not often cleaned and disinfected to kill bacteria and viruses.

Gerba noted that the first-floor buttons in elevators were the dirtiest.

"Everyone needs to go to the first floor," he said.

Worse, these germs get transferred to the body part that comes in contact with faces the most -- fingers and hands.

While avoiding these types of buttons can be almost impossible, Gerba does have a few recommendations.

"Knuckle it or wait for someone else to push it for you."

Yoga Mats

Sweating it out with a yoga session can be a great way to cleanse the mind and body, but forget to cleanse your mat, especially a communal one, and all that work may have been for nothing.

Sweat and microbes can cover an exercise mat during a workout. This may not be a problem if the mat was cleaned and disinfected before and after each use and laundered sporadically. But if the mats are not cleaned, germs can linger for days.

According to a 2006 article in The New York Times, gyms and yoga studios vary in terms of how often and how well they clean their mats. Some put the onus on patrons by providing disinfecting wipes.

And while thin booties and gloves are sometimes marketed as no-slip yoga accessories, they serve well to protect feet and hands from germ-ridden mats.

For any gym activity, Gerba recommends wiping equipment and hands frequently with gel sanitizers containing alcohol or other disinfecting agent.

Airplane Bathroom

"These are probably the worst," Gerba said. "They are the germiest restrooms you'll run across."

But bathrooms in general are not as germ-ridden as other areas -- a kitchen sink or laundry machine, for example. Compared to several items on this list, toilets are a beacon of cleanliness because they are cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis, even public toilets.

Airplane bathrooms get cleaned, but the high volume of people they must cater to in a short amount of time leaves them very dirty very quickly.

Gerba said a normal aircraft has one bathroom per 50 people. Discount airlines have one bathroom per 75 people.

"There is a thin layer of E. coli over the sink," and other surfaces, Gerba said, adding that many people, especially men, will not wash their hands effectively because the sink is small, and dirty hands transfer germs to the face easily.

Interestingly, the cleanest toilets are probably those in public areas of a hospital, Gerba said.

"In a city, I'd pull into the emergency room."

Shopping Carts

An individual probably has a fairly short interaction with the shopping cart at the local grocery store. Unfortunately, that interaction covers all the danger zones for contamination: hands, faces and food.

In one study done by his group, Gerba said he found E. coli on almost half the shopping carts the group tested. These are the microbes and pathogens that are transferred from the cart to your hands, to the food you select and then to the face if the hands touch it.

In addition, children often sit in the seat provided in larger shopping carts, adding to the germ load on the cart.

"That's putting a kid's butt where you put your broccoli," Gerba said.

A shopping cart is a good example of an item where a quick wipe down with a disinfecting wipe and some alcoholic hand sanitizing gel recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can prevent a lot of cross-contamination.

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

Bathroom Etiquette

2010-02-02T12:31:00.000-08:00

Reprinted from The Clipper, an official publication of the Associated Students of Everett Community College, Everett, Washington

Jody with a Why?
Bathroom Etiquette
Jody Hawkins

If at first you don't succeed, keep flushing! This is a catchy reminder that should be taped to the back of every bathroom stall on campus, along with a few other rules regarding appropriate bathroom etiquette.

According to Carla Forney, EvCC's Custodial and Grounds supervisor, different issues plague the men's and women's bathrooms.

Men have a tendency to miss the target altogether and wipe stuff on the walls, ugh! Women tend to leave the toilets un-flushed or clogged with feminine product, double ugh!

Mastering the rules of bathroom etiquette will not only improve the lives of fellow students and staff but will also increase the chance you won't be ostracized by co-workers in the future.

Ok, Ladies first. I think there is some misinformation floating around out there, so let's set the record straight. It is never ok to flush a tampon down the toilet!

According to Forney, the college has had to call in professionals to unclog toilets and pipes for just this reason.

"Wrap it and bin it," is the official terminology for this issue: the tampon should be wrapped in toilet paper and put in to the little metal bin on the side of the stall. Also, remember, a real live person is responsible for emptying those bins so be considerate when filling them.

Ok guys, your turn. The staff that is responsible for cleaning the stalls would just as soon not have to mop up after you, so take aim- maybe you could think of it as a competition to see how many times in a row can you hit your target, which is the bowl, right? As for stuff on the walls, wipe it on a tissue instead, then flush, 'nuff said.

Once you have "done your business," as my grandma used to say, turn around and make sure you are leaving the toilet and surrounding area in good condition. I know this is kind of a squeamish issue, because nobody wants to actually touch a toilet seat, so if you have to, take a small wad of tissue and wipe down the seat, then FLUSH! It's the right thing to do.

Last but not least, if you feel the need to "CallRalphOnTheBigWhitePhone," take heed. "There have been 12 reports since September," of patrons missing the toilet or trashcan when they got sick according to Forney. Gross, yes, but we have all been there and this stuff needs to be talked about because when you miss and don't clean it up, it becomes everyone's problem. It's not just a ghastly mess anymore but an veritable melting pot of germs, so if you made a bigger mess than you can clean up on your own, have someone make a call to the custodial staff by dialing 9500 from any of the phones on campus

http://media.www.clipperonline.info/media/storage/paper1338/news/2010/01/29/Opinion/Jody-With.A.Why-3861040.shtml

Stop flushing and start trashing!

2010-02-01T06:03:00.000-08:00

Reprinted from King County (Washington) News Blog
January 19, 2010 ·

Fat, oils and grease that had been dumped down drains collects on this sewer pipe.
Too much fatty food is bad for you, but it’s also really bad for sewer lines, as this excellent article in this morning’s Seattle Post-Intelligencer points out.

Greasy pipes are just one of the problems that King County sewer workers have to deal with. Each year, these folks also remove about 1,000 tons of trash from the treatment process. Once collected, this nasty garbage has to be hauled off to the landfill, costing ratepayers an extra $100,000 a year.

All of this material had to be removed from the wastewater system and sent to the landfill – at a cost of $100,000 per year!
Flushing the wrong things down your toilet can damage pumps, clog pipes and lead to raw sewage overflows that could harm the environment or make people sick. Yuck!
There are only two things that should go down your toilet – body waste and TP. That’s it!

Even if a product label says “flushable,” understand that cleaning wipes, tampons, cotton pads and other products just don’t break down like toilet paper.

So stop flushing and start trashing!

City of Houston...gets the word out!

2010-01-16T07:59:00.001-08:00

Blocked Plumbing / Sewer Overflow

Most household plumbing lines are small, and connect directly to pipes that are only slightly larger. FOG and foreign materials can easily block the sewage flow. A blocked sewer can be a worse problem than just inconvenient and unpleasant. A blocked sewer can cause an overflow that sends pollution to our bayous and Galveston Bay.
Common enemies to our sewer system:

Cooking grease & oil
Meat fats
Shortening, butter & margarine
Coffee grounds and filters
Paper towels
Baby diapers
Feminine hygiene products
Hair
Chewing gum
Plastics

How to use a tampon does not include proper instruction to throw it in the trash!

2010-01-15T09:31:00.000-08:00

Just came across this info on Tampax website "How to use a tampon" No wonder young ladies are flushing tampons down the toilet to dispose of them. Though the company may not have specifically stated " To get rid of a tampon flush it down the toilet" by not saying ANYTHING it sure does imply that this practice is okay. Shame on them!

Applicator Disposal: Tampax Pearl Plastic and Compak Pearl
Do not flush the plastic applicator or wrapper. After you have inserted the tampon, you can place the used applicator back into the wrapper and dispose into a trash can.

#1 building maintenance problem

2010-01-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

What's the #1 building maintenance problem? THE RESTROOM!! Whether it is the restroom in a retail store, restaurant, office building, airport or any other facility; the restroom generates more complaints than any other area. With a society sensitive to germs and harmful viruses, the mere appearance and smell of a restroom influences the perception of a facility's healthiness. Dirty restrooms create a negative impression on customers, visitors and employees, and it can cost a business dearly.

(The above statements are from Kaivac Cleaning Systems)

With the beginning of the new year, I promise to continue my efforts in 2010 to get people talking about the disposal of feminine care products in women’s restrooms!! Though it is a problem no one really wants to talk about, we have made significant progress with facility managers, housekeeping staff, building owners, janitorial supply distributors, manufacturers, plumbing contractors and women across the USA who are becoming aware of the problem and taking action. Simple changes with the SCENSIBLES System will benefit the health of building inhabitants, improve the appearance in the restroom and protect our water environment!

Hearts Make Families: Tips from a Plumber

2009-12-14T07:19:00.000-08:00

Hearts Make Families: Tips from a Plumber

Check this out...for all of you who still believe flushing tampons is not a problem! This is direct from a plumber and his #1 pet peeve is Tampons are not meant to be flushed in the toilet!

Needle stick from emptying trash receptacles

2009-12-08T09:11:00.000-08:00

The article below reminds me of a phone call I received a few years ago. A janitor was thrilled with the installation of the SCENSIBLES System in the facility she maintained and wanted to tell me her story. Several years prior, working for another cleaning service, she contracted Hepatitis from a needle that was improperly discarded in a stall "sanitary" napkin disposal unit. The receptacles was lined with a brown waxed paper bag that did not contain all the trash deposited into it. Subsequently, when she reached into the receptacle with her hand to empty the unit-she was stuck by the needle!

She was so impressed that the facility took preventative measures to protect the cleaning staff and restroom patrons not only from this risk but the potential of coming in contact with discarded feminine care products ( blood borne pathogens and harmful viruses). The facility manager removed all the sanitary napkin disposal units throughout the building and installed SCENSIBLES refillable bag dispensers for each stall. This way product is discarded in a SCENSIBLES sanitary disposal bag and tossed in the large trashcan in the restroom. And the facility installed a needle disposal unit.

Though the article describes an incident that took place in a hospital while handling a bag of clinical waste, a puncture wound can occur in any setting if restroom patrons discard needles in stall sanitary napkin disposal units. Afterall, these receptacles are trash cans and are commonly found with all kinds of items women need to throw out including food, diapers, soda cans, personal care and baby wipes, and of course blood soaked tampons(applicators) and sanitary pads.

Damages for hospital worker pricked by needle
A Court has ruled a hospital worker who feared a used injection needle may have contaminated him with a life-threatening disease is entitled to £3,000 compensation.
Monday, 07 December 2009
Court of Appeal judges said Sean Fryers should receive damages after he suffered a puncture wound while handling a bag of clinical waste.
Mr Fryers, a ward bedside hygiene operator at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, developed an adjustment disorder over anxieties that he may have been exposed to grave risks.
He received counselling for any fears that the needle could have been contaminated and infected him with HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C.
Prophylactic injections and blood tests were carried out, and it has since been confirmed there is no risk of developing any disease connected with the injury suffered in August 2006.
A High Court judge previously held that penetration of Mr Fryers' skin by the needle was just a trivial injury. It was found to be an exposure to risk and no more.
But the Court of Appeal ruled it was wrong to decide the injury was so trivial it could not lead to damages.
Lord Justice Girvan said: "As has been frequently said in many situations, context is everything.
"The plaintiff was injured by a non-sterile needle in a bag of other items for disposal.
"It constituted hospital waste and it may well have been contaminated by blood-borne organisms liable to cause serious infection."
The judge pointed to the Belfast Health Trust's protocol for dealing with such situations as clear evidence of the gravity of the risk to those accidentally injected by used needles.
© UTV News

THIS IS FROM JEN WITH A JANITORIAL SUPPLY COMPANY IN ONTARIO CANADA

2009-11-09T13:43:00.000-08:00

As a woman, I know there is a need for a change because the status quo isn’t sanitary or effective – but it’s the way it’s always been done and no one wants to “rock the boat” and make a change.

Your products are what's needed, but it’s something that men don’t recognize unless they are the ones that actually change those nasty bags in the stalls.

There is so much misinformation about what those receptacles are supposed to do; many facilities will put one bag open in the receptacle and all the ladies that use that stall are supposed to use the same bag all day.

Other facilities put a stack of bags in the receptacle and ladies are supposed to take a bag out, wrap their napkin in it and toss it into the trash. This makes the most sense to me, but I have spoke with custodians that say that some women will stuff their napkin in the receptacle and contaminate all of the bags that are stored in there causing them to waste them to restock. This has the potential to be a huge expense to a business.

I feel that the general public has a lack of education on what the procedure should be for sanitary napkin disposal, and when you couple that with a resistance to change in the community (part of which is a fear of change in this economic climate) it is an uphill battle.

Now that being said, I think one way to educate women is to have some sort of signage that can be mounted with in the stall with the directions, features and benefits to the product.

Let's talk

2009-11-04T12:32:00.001-08:00

ALL NEW....I set this blog up several years ago and got so busy growing the business that I never wrote anything else. Now I am trying to get with the times, learn to blog and hope to have followers. So I ask is there anybody out there that who really wants to talk about this unmentionable issue??

The Problem: The disposal of feminine care products in public restrooms

2006-09-01T08:07:00.000-07:00

Disposing of feminine care items. It's not a subject that was likely to come up with my girlfirends on the phone or over a cup of coffee. That is until now. Now I can't stop talking about it. "The problem" began to really bother me a few years ago. I started to notice signs in public restrooms: "Do not flush tampons and other feminine care items because they cause clogs." What was the alternative? Discarding products in a visibly dirty bin, overflowing with smelly, unsightly, unwrapped items? This was unacceptable to me. Why should women have to put up with these hideous conditions? And it's a legitimate health concern.

I knew there must be a better way. I put considerable time and effort in coming up with the design and features of a unique product that addresses the problem head on. SCENSIBLES are scented bags for clean, easy, discreet disposal of feminine care products: pads, tampons and panty liners.