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<span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"><img width="83" height="119" id="Picture_x0020_1" style="width:.8645in; height:1.2395in" alt="DEM-logo-small" data-outlook-trace="F:1|T:1" src="cid:image001.png@01D5FED2.6C4D4C10"></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt; font-family:"Impact",sans-serif; color:#00457A">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:#00457A">235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401.222.4700 |</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:#0070C0">
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:#0070C0">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:#00457A">| @RhodeIslandDEM</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:#1F497D"></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Gail Mastrati, DEM: 401-222-4700, X2402<b></b></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Friday, March 20, 2020
</span><a href="mailto:gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt; font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"> </span></b></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt; font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">AS REPORTS OF WASTEWATER SYSTEM DAMAGE INCREASE, DEM REITERATES: DISPOSE OF DISINFECTANT WIPES
IN THE TRASH </span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:18.0pt; font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">Flushing cleaning wipes causes clogs and can lead to overflows
</span></i></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:18.0pt; font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">in wastewater collection systems
</span></i><i><span style="font-size:18.0pt; font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"></span></i></p>
<p style="margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt"><img width="288" height="384" align="left" style="width:3.0in; height:4.0in" hspace="12" data-outlook-trace="F:1|T:1" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D5FED2.6C4D4C10"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"> </span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">PROVIDENCE ˇV With new reports of damaged pump stations and overwhelmed screening facilities in Rhode Island wastewater collection and treatment systems, the Department of Environmental Management
(DEM) is once again urging all Rhode Islanders to refrain from flushing disinfectant wipes ˇV including those labeled ˇ§flushableˇ¨ ˇV and instead, to dispose of them in the trash. DEM is also asking retailers to post signs alerting customers to not flush various
wipes, even if the product is labeled as ˇ§flushable.ˇ¨</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">ˇ§Proper functioning of our wastewater treatment system is critical to protecting public health by preventing viruses and bacteria from getting into your homes, onto roadways and into our waterways,ˇ¨
said DEM Director Janet Coit. ˇ§Among the other protective measures needed at this time, Rhode Islanders need to be vigilant about what they do and donˇ¦t flush!ˇ¨</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
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<i>A pump removed from the Congdon Street pump station in Narragansett yesterday was clogged with wipes and paper towels.
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">This week, the Town of Narragansett reported a failure of two pumps at one of the townˇ¦s sewer pumping stations. The damage resulted from a buildup of wipes clogging the inner core of both pumps.
While the swift action of town wastewater staff prevented a release of sewage to the environment, the cost of responding to the failure, setting up temporary bypass systems, and eventual repairs is estimated at $7,300.</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">Earlier in the week, wastewater crews in the Town of Burrillville reported similar buildups of wipes in their collection systems.</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">Whether your home or business is connected to the public sewer system or has an onsite wastewater treatment system, you should never flush any type of wipes, including baby wipes and those labeled
flushable, down the toilet. Instead, you should place these products in the trash for proper disposal.
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"> </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">In addition to causing clogs and wastewater collection system overflows, flushing wipes can also lead to sewer back-ups in basements and damage wastewater
treatment equipment. Although some of these products may be labeled as flushable, most wipes are made with fine plastic mesh that does not break down in water as toilet paper does. These wipes are clogging and damaging expensive wastewater pumps and sewer
lines in Rhode Island and across the nation.</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"> </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">At a time when weˇ¦re washing our hands and wiping down surfaces more frequently, DEM is strongly urging citizens and businesses to do their part and
help avoid sewer system damage and overflows by disposing of these wipes in the trash rather than flushing them away.</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">According to the Water Environment Association, the following items should NEVER be flushed:
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<a name="_Hlk35607543"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ </span>
</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Baby wipes and diapers</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Rags and towels</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Cotton swabs</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Syringes</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Candy and other food wrappers</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Clothing labels</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Cleaning sponges</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Toys</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Plastic items of any kind</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Aquarium gravel or kitty litter</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Rubber items such as latex gloves</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;margin-right:2.15pt; text-indent:-.5pt">
<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Cigarette butts</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Sanitary napkins</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Hair</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Underwear</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">ˇ´ Disposable toilet brushes</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> </span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information, visit the Water Environment Federation website at
</span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.wef.org_resources_for-2Dthe-2Dpublic_public-2Dinformation_fact-2Dsheets_&d=DwMFog&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=mFo_PQgKiG9BdqWd-3e80ftB8ffgqCZgAhuqVNuMqAM&m=Hjy32bsa7IkLMTltWMob6RoBeq21N74mKo0Xd2QG7uM&s=TwF0Q7ZD9nfQ5qAOQ730u7nQSKoanPsQjiKMH8OQX9c&e="><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">https://www.wef.org/resources/for-the-public/public-information/fact-sheets/</span> [wef.org]</a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; text-decoration:none">
</span></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">and click on "It's a Toilet, Not a Trash Can!" in the left-hand menu.
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/index.php"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black">. Follow us on Facebook at
</span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.facebook.com_RhodeIslandDEM&d=DwMFog&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=mFo_PQgKiG9BdqWd-3e80ftB8ffgqCZgAhuqVNuMqAM&m=Hjy32bsa7IkLMTltWMob6RoBeq21N74mKo0Xd2QG7uM&s=lQHrbsPftkxgT_Iofah59fRdOs4gzicbOhsaiOMeunM&e="><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM</span> [facebook.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif; color:black"> or on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) for timely
updates.</span></p>
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