Being Water Wise with Frannie: PCPP’s and Wastewater

 

Hello, everyone, and hello, Spring!

It’s time to learn about water education with your favorite fish, Frannie. Today we’ll be talking about Personal Care Products and Pharmaceuticals, also known as “PCPP’s”. PCPP’s include products like toothpaste, shampoo, aspirin, and household cleaning chemicals. While daily hygiene and staying clean and healthy are important, did you ever think about where all of that toothpaste goes once you’re finished brushing your teeth?

 

“Wastewater” is used water, or water used by humans that is no longer clean, that is sent to water recycling centers to be treated, or cleaned, to be reused. However, untreated wastewater is harmful to the environment and can destroy places like lakes and streams, which are home to fish like Frannie.

What Can You Do to Help Keep Frannie’s Home Clean?

Talk to your mom and dad about throwing away medicine rather than flushing it down the toilet.

Ask your mom or dad about using more environmentally-friendly cleaning products around the house. Natural products are harmless to the environment and keep Frannie happy.

Throw away kitchen grease instead of pouring it down the sink.

When brushing your teeth, use a "pea-size" amount of toothpaste to make it last longer.

Also, use a "nickel-size" amount of shampoo and conditioner every time you wash your hair. Remember to use products until the bottle is completely empty.

Save used, leftover soap to make into a new bar of soap later. This can be done by grating and melting the leftover soap pieces in a double boiler. As it melts, make sure to add your favorite smells using essential oils. 

Bring unwanted cleaning products, paint, or other chemicals to your local refuge. These products are called "hazardous waste" and can pollute our environment and waterways if flushed down the toilet or thrown in the trash.

Use these products to help reduce wastewater pollution from PCPP's and keep Nebraska's water clean. Remember, water is as important to us as it is to Frannie and her friends, so we need to take care of it.