Toilets: why we must rethink this black hole of unmentionables

The toilet is one of the most used appliances in the home, yet it’s often taken for granted.

It not only bears witness to its fair share of unmentionables, but is also treated by many people as a black hole for disposing of just about anything – simply dump, flush and it’s gone.

Out of sight, out of mind, right? The risk of doing this is that the environment is further polluted, while sewage and wastewater treatment systems are damaged due to huge pipework blockages.

Today (Thursday 19 November) is World Toilet Day. It is a United Nations Observance that celebrates toilets and raises awareness of the 4.2 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation. It is about taking action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.