"This Is Almost a Crime" Anger of Lower Floor Residents Over Clogged Pipes Caused by Cat Litter

Blocked Pipes Due to Pet Cat Furniture Selfishness Sparks Attention
"Possibility of Litter Product Issue" Also Raised

An incident occurred where the plumbing in the lower floors was clogged due to a resident disposing of cat litter in the laundry room pipes.

On the 20th, a notice posted in an apartment titled "Shocking update from a certain apartment yesterday" was shared across various online communities.

Photo by Online Community

The notice, expressing anger towards the resident who caused the damage under the title "Can this really be allowed?", stated, "The laundry room pipe in line 2 of building 207 was clogged, causing an overflow into the living rooms of the lower floors. Upon inspection, it was found that cat litter and wood used for cat toilets were disposed of in the laundry room pipes and had hardened like stone," as shown in the photos.

It then shared images of the completely clogged pipes filled with cat litter. The cat products had tightly packed the pipes without any gaps.

The notice appealed for cooperation, saying, "Is it acceptable to cause inconvenience to neighbors just for one’s own convenience?" and "Cat litter and wood used for cat toilets do not dissolve. When disposing of them, please make sure to put them in designated volume-based waste bags."

It also emphasized, "Such actions are tantamount to criminal behavior and contribute to the increase in communal maintenance fees."

After the photos were posted on the community, many responses criticized cat owners. Comments included, "Cat litter hardens when it comes into contact with water, but many people selfishly dispose of it in toilets or drains," and "Many people who raise dogs and cats don’t know what they should or shouldn’t do. It’s like driving on the highway without a driver’s license."

One user pointed out, "As the pet market grows, many companies have started producing products, promoting cat litter as water-soluble, but in reality, it does not dissolve, leading to such unfortunate incidents. Consumers are unaware that the product does not dissolve and continue to dispose of it, causing pipe blockages." The user further criticized the products, saying, "The promotion that it dissolves should be prohibited."

Ministry of Environment: 'Cat litter must be disposed of separately'... Check with district offices or community centers

Visitors at the '2023 Ganatjimo (Born with the Heart, Saved with the Wallet) Cat Fair' held last February at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, are looking at cat products.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Although cat litter marketed as water-soluble is frequently released, some doubts have been raised about its effectiveness. Since the product’s launch, many notices have been posted in communal buildings such as apartments and officetels, complaining, "Many people dispose of cat litter in toilets or drains due to advertising that it dissolves in water. Currently, underground drainage pipes are clogged, and maintenance staff are frequently cleaning and unclogging the pipes."

Industry experts advise not to trust advertisements blindly and to avoid disposing of cat litter in toilets or drains. The claimed water-soluble function is only effective in small amounts, but the exact quantity is not clearly indicated, and since the condition of sewage pipes varies, problems can arise at any time.

The Ministry of Environment guides through apps like ‘Separate Waste Disposal in My Hand’ that cat litter (such as bentonite) should be disposed of by purchasing non-combustible volume-based waste bags. Since the method of separating and disposing of cat litter may vary depending on local government ordinances, detailed information should be confirmed with each district office or community center.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.