Brazil – In common with most Latin American countries, the sewage system in Brazil can't cope with paper being flushed, so use the bin provided. If you're in the jungle or up the Amazon, take your paper with you and dispose of it somewhere hygienic, or burn it on the way.
And some countries do not have systems that can break down toilet paper easily, so it's customary not to flush.
Most countries in the Western world are blessed with impeccable sewage systems, and much of the time it's fine to flush our loo roll without a second thought. However, not every country is lucky enough to have a system that can cope with toilet paper, even in Europe.
If you see an wastebasket near the toilet with used toilet paper in it, that's a sign that the sewer system isn't up to snuff. Put your used TP in the wastebasket instead of flushing it. (The rule of thumb in those places: Don't put anything in the toilet unless you've eaten it first.)
Can you flush toilet paper? Yes! Toilet paper is designed to breakdown quickly once it's flushed!
When using toilets in Japan, leave toilet paper in the toilet bowl and flush the toilet after use. * Papers that can be flushed down the toilet are only toilet paper and other paper that can be flushed. * Please dispose of sanitary napkins and tampons in the wastebasket installed on the side of the toilet.
25-11-2021. In the UK waste water treatment requires us to flush only toilet paper. Toilet paper (so labelled) in the UK is specially designed to disintegrate upon contact with water and to do so quickly and completely.
FYI, toilet paper is preferred across Europe, USA and many East Asian countries. Most countries in Southeast Asia, as well as parts of Southern Europe, favour the use of water.
Each person in Germany consumes just under 20 kilograms of toilet paper every year. The system is simple: the paper is flushed down after wiping and for the most part already dissolves on the way to the sewage treatment plants.
The only thing you should ever flush down a toilet is human waste (urine and feces) and toilet paper. Here's what you shouldn't flush: Bags / wrappings and cardboard. Band-aids and bandage wrappers.
France, Portugal, Italy, Japan, Argentina, Venezuela, and Spain: Instead of toilet paper, people from these countries (most of them from Europe) usually have a bidet in their washrooms. A bidet like a toilet, but also includes a spout that streams water like a water fountain to rinse you clean.
So, why can't you flush toilet paper in Greece? Well, the country's plumbing system is not designed to handle large amounts of paper. The plumbing pipes are narrow, and paper or other waste materials would clog most Greek toilets, including those at rooms, hotels and restaurants.
Even Uruguay, which uses the fewest toilet rolls in our study, gets through enough each year to reach to the moon and back 21 times over.
It has to do with the plumbing of the house or resort. Cheap traditional homes are plumbed with 2” pipes and often have 90 degree angles which will clog easily when TP is flushed. High-end and modern Mexican plumbing is minimum 3” and properly piped to prevent clogs. It has nothing to do with the “city” sewer system.
It might come as a surprise to many traveler to Ukraine from Many tourists from countries that flushing toilet paper in Ukraine is an absolute no-no! Ukraine is not unique here, there are several Western European countries where flushing paper down the toilet is not the correct thing to do.
Basically, the answer is “Yes, but not everyone got the notice”. In an overwhelming majority of residential and public buildings the sewage system is laid with at least 4″ to 6″ pipes that can handle toilet paper, especially normal, non-glued self-dissolving one, with ease.
The sewage pipes in Thailand are much narrower than those in many countries, and flushing anything solid will cause blockages. If you disregard this rule and your wad of toilet tissue happens to break the plumbing, it's terrible karma. Most toilets have a hose which you should use to clean yourself.
From Seashells to Communal Sponges
In very ancient times, wiping with stones and other natural materials and rinsing with water or snow was common. Some cultures opted for seashells and animal furs.
Bidets haven't ever been widely embraced in American culture. A common origin story for this reluctance is that bidets were seen as lascivious because they were used in brothels as a form of emergency contraception.
Washing with water is a much more effective and long-lasting way of cleaning, and removes more germs and bacteria than paper. Using water is a much more gentle and soothing way of cleaning after using the toilet and the feeling of freshness and cleanliness is incomparable to when using paper.
Many Asian toilets don't use paper at all, they may have a hose as a bidet, or water pale, using their hands to clean, actually, you may find the Chinese are much closer to western style than other Asian cultures.
Pat dry with toilet paper
Since you're already clean from your bidet, you won't need much toilet paper to do so–just enough to remove any excess water. Use a gentle pat-dry motion instead of a wipe to avoid any irritation. That's all there is to it.
China is the world's largest consumer of paper and paperboard by far, consuming 132.7 million metric tons worth in 2021.
Paris has some of the best public restroom infrastructure in the world, and the city is miles ahead of everyone else. The QS Supplies team scoured a list of the world's most popular cities to judge their public toilet infrastructure.