Used toilet paper largely disintegrates in the sewage system and is processed at a treatment plant. Here's a breakdown of what happens:
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Disintegration: In water, the paper fibers untangle to form a thin sludge. The water flow in the sewage system carries this sludge.
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Treatment Plant Arrival: By the time the waste stream reaches the sewage treatment plant, most of the toilet paper has completely disintegrated.
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Sludge Digestion: The disintegrated toilet paper goes straight to the sludge digester tanks.
- Within these tanks, the remaining material is further broken down.
- This breakdown process ultimately produces compost. According to the reference, "most of the toilet paper has completely disintegrated, and goes straight to the sludge digester tanks to be broken down into compost."
In summary, used toilet paper breaks down into sludge in the sewer, further disintegrates at a treatment plant, and is processed into compost.
