While it may be the most convenient option to simply flush baby wipes or feminine products down the toilet, it’s certainly not the most environmentally friendly.

It is also causing a major issue in some places by clogging sewer pipes.

The Portland Water District and Maine environmental officials recently launched a campaign to stop people from flushing baby wipes and other items down their toilets, citing clogs from such items as the culprit of overflows that can require expensive repairs for homeowners and public wastewater facilities, according to the Associated Press.

The water district installed screens at two pump stations in 2009 to catch materials causing clogs. The project cost $4.5 million ”“ an expense that was passed on to customers ”“ but General Manager Ronald Miller said the screens pick up about 120 pounds of material each week. About 16 percent of that is made up of baby wipes ”“ some of which even say “flushable” on the packaging, the AP reported.

But that is not the case, officials said, and people should not flush anything down the toilet besides toilet paper.

Problem materials that should not be flushed include paper towels, napkins, tissues, feminine hygiene products and household wipes, Miller said.

Even though some packaging on baby wipes and other wipes say they can be flushed ”“ and some women’s products, too ”“ in this case, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

People should also use common sense.

Obviously, caring for a baby produces a lot of baby wipes, and those should not go down the toilet. Disposable diapers today often go in their very own receptacles that promise to block odor and sometimes condense the materials so more diapers can be disposed of in each bag. This would be the proper place to dispose of wipes, which also seems a lot more convenient than running to the bathroom to flush those down the toilet.

If an adult happens to flush one wipe down the toilet once in a while, it’s not reason to call up the sewer district to report the offense, but everyone should try to remember to put wipes in the trash.

Women, in particular, also need to work to keep their products out of the sewer system ”“ tampons being the major offending product. While manufacturers may say their products are also “flushable,” just likes wipes, too many too often can cause a major problem.

It’s clear that too many people are flushing too many unflushable items in the Portland area, as the catch system the district implemented pulls more than 100 pounds of material from the water each week. This can likely be an indicator for other communities as well. And without a change in the way people dispose of their waste, this could be a serious issue for other municipalities as well.

We would all be well served to follow the new campaign’s motto: “Save Your Pipes: Don’t Flush Baby Wipes.”

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Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham Rousseau on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.