Some of the biggest RV campfire arguments center around holding tank treatments. Which ones work, which ones don’t, and the big one: Which ones are unsafe for septic systems?
Now the State of California has waded into the controversy and essentially flushed formaldehyde containing tank treatments down the drain. In a fact sheet released at the end of January, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control says the state will no longer allow the sale or use of “any chemical toilet product containing any concentration” of the substance.
Why the decision? The Department has taken a lot of heat over the issue; many RV owners felt they were caught in a bind: Fearing damage to their septic systems by formaldehyde they would ask RVers not to dump their tanks if they used a holding tank treatment with the chemical in it. But plenty of RVers (and plenty of companies manufacturing and selling the stuff) pushed the other way. With no official “law” to fall back on, the park owners felt pretty lonely in their battle.
The Department studied the matter and found that formaldehyde kills holding tank odor by killing bacteria. Unfortuately, it’s not a particularly specific killer–so even “good” bacteria that help to break down wastes are killed by the chemical. Says the Department, “the formaldehyde will kill the bacteria in the septic tank, eventually leading to a clog in the system. When a septic system fails, sewage wastes does not [sic] breakdown and can cause an increased risk to people from contact with raw sewage.”
The State is releasing a notice of its ban to retailers, suppliers, and manufacturers.
septic tank photo: Sheriff of Nothing on flickr.com
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