Why We Should Be Mindful of What Goes Down the Drain 2

Do you ever stop to think about what you put down the drain?

Chemicals from beauty products, soap, cleaning products can all have a disastrous impact on the environment when they go down the drain.

Do you ever stop to think what impact what you put down the sink and drain has on the environment? Admit it, few of us know what really goes into our cleaning products, shampoo, conditioner and soaps, and many of the ingredients can have a detrimental effect on the world around us. Just because it’s mixed with water and disappears in just a few seconds, doesn’t mean it goes away- rather, it just goes somewhere else. 

You might not think that this could have any real negative impact on the environment but when you consider all the millions of other people that are doing exactly the same as you, it really starts to add up. 

When chemicals make their way into the environment by the way of our plug holes, they enter the water system which eventually filters into a local treatment plant. However, many of these chemicals remain and pass through the treatment process, ending up discharged onto and into surface and groundwater, and the ocean.

Many of the preservatives and other chemicals used in personal care products and cleaning products have been linked to endocrine system issues which include reproductive and behavioural issues, immune system issues, and neurological problems. Contaminated water is also ingested by fish and other animals, causing health issues for them and even ending up in the food chain, therefore back into our bodies. 

For example, as other animals consume fish contaminated with these chemicals, they can bioaccumulate in the food chain and increase in their levels of toxicity. If left to continue, this can poison an entire ecosystem, poisoning us humans as well.

So what is the eco friendly solution? Recognising that what we need to pay due care and attention, not just with what we put on our skin and bodies, but also what we wash away, is key. Adopting a natural, sustainable, zero waste, plastic-free, eco-friendly approach to washing ourselves and our homes is a great place to start and there are plenty of eco alternatives on the market. For example why not opt for natural bathroom products, eco-friendly feminine hygiene products; like reusable menstrual cups, eco, reusable period pants, reusable menstrual pads / reusable sanitary pads, natural bath bombs, eco toilet roll and even eco products such as biodegradable cotton swabs.

Secondly, we need to aim to stop using plastic bottles and containers and aim for bathrooms and kitchens where there is not a single, single-use plastic in site. Opt for solid natural soap bars and natural, plastic-free products, things in glass bottles, refillable items, and home made alternatives. Just because something is on the TV and comes in a plastic bottle, doesn’t mean it is any better or more effective at cleaning than a natural, eco-friendly product.

If each of us take small steps such as these, together we can make a big, big difference.