In preparation for July’s Flush Smart Month, Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) took to the streets of Anaheim, California at VidCon. The annual conference was swarmed with 55,000 content creators, digital innovators and fans wanting to learn, explore and create content together.
So why was RFA there? With over 60% of Californians still flushing things they know they shouldn’t, it was our mission to catch their attention, get the word out and ultimately stop toilet crimes across the state.
Introducing Detective Vincent Drains and Mel
No crime scene is complete without a thorough investigation, and that’s where Drains and Mel come in. We put our detectives on the case in the middle of VidCon. Attendees were compelled to explore the scene of a recent toilet crime – with utter confusion and curiosity – to find out what was really happening.
Detective Drains investigated the cause of a costly clog while Mel, the singing and talking toilet extraordinaire, shared the miseries of clogged toilets, broken pipes and overflowing sewers caused by toilet crimes. Attendees were encouraged to scan three QR codes to help us in our investigation — a duet with Drains on TikTok, a toilet crimes quiz on Instagram Stories, and an Instagram filter that revealed your faux-toilet crime.
BizBash applauded RFA’s VidCon experience for “cleverly infusing messaging about the dangers of ignoring the “Do Not Flush” symbol on baby wipes, cleaning wipes, and makeup wipes.” And the surprise of the world’s first real-life talking and singing toilet helped RFA and #FlushSmart month make TV news with over 13 segments aired on local stations from Los Angeles to Augusta to Australia.
Join Us in Making a Difference
Now it’s your turn. Start with an investigation of your own bathroom. What’s in there? What items have the “Do Not Flush” symbol that you may have not noticed before? Oftentimes when people know better, they do better. Next up, take note of the most commonly flushed items below that should not be flushed but are key evidence in our toilet crimes.
Commonly Flushed Non-Flushable Items:
- Baby wipes, cleaning wipes and makeup removal wipes (all have the “Do Not Flush” symbol on the packaging)
- Paper towels
- Feminine hygiene products
- Cotton swabs and cotton balls
- Other trash items: tissues, wrappers, hair weaves, hair ties, toys, etc.
Do your part to look for the “Do Not Flush” symbol and read the disposal instructions. A staggering 99% of items clogging the sewer pipes should have never been flushed. When in doubt, throw it out.
About Responsible Flushing Alliance
The Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization dedicated to consumer education focused on what not to flush. RFA’s goal is to change consumer behavior to help reduce damage to our nation’s sewage systems caused by objects and materials not designed to be flushed.