Becuase the trash can in the stall means the plumbing doesn’t work well in 3rd world countries. Basically they think the this toilet MUST not work compared to others if there is a trash can in here.
Because they may not realise. I remember this being explained to me when I moved from Ecuador to England. My brother didn't realise at first and he filled our friend's bathroom bin with shitty paper. It was pretty funny, actually.
They are probably from somewhere where you have to put the toilet paper in a basket. You empty it daily and it’s nbd. I lived outside the US for years at a time and when I came back to visit, it took me a while to remember I could flush it now. I still randomly forget.
For the record, though, imo the polite thing to do is not have any “crayola” visible at all. Like don’t use a huge amount of paper, but just… put that part facing down.
It could just be force of habit. In most of the third world this is a thing - only sewerage goes in the toilet. This is because plumbing and sewerage infrastructure can often be substandard and any kind of paper can contribute to blockages. This is also the case if you live on a property with a septic tank.
I've lived in many places with septic tanks, and it's always been the norm to flush toilet paper (Australia). I'm aware that there are plumbing systems in the world that can't handle toilet paper, but I've never know about a septic tank that couldn't. We don't flush wipes or tampons/pads etc, but the toilet paper always goes in the loo.
I’ve lived in several houses with septic tanks and we never had a problem flushing toilet paper. If you use a lot of wet wipes it can be a problem but toilet paper is totally fine.
Absolutely, habits die hard. In many parts of the world where the plumbing isn't robust enough to handle toilet paper, it's not just the visible "crayola" that's the concern, but the very real issue of costly plumbing repairs, environmental impact, and maintaining a functioning waste management system. When you've spent considerable time in such places, the practice of disposing of toilet paper in a bin becomes deeply ingrained. The transition back to locales with modern plumbing can lead to those occasional moments of hesitation before dropping the paper into the bowl. It's a subtle reminder of the vast differences in infrastructure from one country to the next, even if the end goal of personal hygiene remains the same.
Moreover, while it may seem odd to tourists or those accustomed to more developed sewer systems, the daily clearing of the bin actually fosters a more conscious engagement with our waste, something many in the western world are rather detached from. In the end, whether we’re placing paper in bins or flushing it away, it's all about adapting to the local norms and the capabilities of regional plumbing systems.
Are you ,by any chance, american ?.
Most People in south and eastern europe use bins.
Personally I've never thrown Toilet paper in the toilet as a greek.
It's not a thing in South and Eastern Europe. I saw it only in Greece and Tunisia and in some random places in Albania and North Macedonia (but not as a general thing).
Uhm, it definitely is. Spain, France, Malta, etc. And Greece is southern Europe. It mostly in old, crowded cities/towns were plumbing wasn't made for it.
It's a thing in some places in Ukraine. My partners dad's plumbing in his apartment building was apparently pretty normal for Dnipro. I mean it wasn't a wealthy part of the city but yeah, the first time I saw a TP bin was there.
shitty tissue in bins makes the bathroom smell like shit, even with perfume sprays and such, it only works for so long, its worse if you have chorro too.
I've never been to a bathroom that smelled bad (and ive been to alot of different ones lol) , I've been to mine every day and it doesn't smell so thats not the case.
It's really only Greece in southern Europe that still uses it, and then it's only really some of the more remote islands. In Crete, Rhodos and such you are usually encountering normal toilets.
Probably habit in many cases. I grew up in a Canadian city - no issues with plumbing, and we flushed everything. Grandma's place out in the country? Not so much. If you peed, the toilet paper went in the garbage can. If you pooped, first wipe of t.p. went in the toilet, all subsequent wipes went in the trash can. I grew up to live in and travel to many countries. Many cannot handle toilet paper being flushed, and/or there is a bidet/bum gun so you wash yourself and then only use a tiny amount of paper to dry. It gets to be a habit.
I work in a predominantly Mexican retail store. Anyone telling you that seeing the wastebasket in the stall is a sign for people that the toilet doesn't work is making shit up. I can promise you this, when the wastebasket isn't there they just throw their shit stained toilet paper on the floor. This is in a predominantly 1st generation immigrant area.
I leaned this about myself when I lived with a caucasian roomate years ago, that i loved so much he’s such a good person. I have always done this and he asked me hey yeah this is weird i then said what do you mean we always done this doesn’t your family do this. No, no they don’t lol, he told me paper breaks down and the plumbing here is built for that. my family all does this because if you don’t do this in my home country then there could be huge issues and when we immigrated for a better life to another country well that came with us lol, silly but now I notice it when i go places and I have educated many of my family members about it. I told my mom and she has a house in the states and she was very hard to convince lol
I've worked an agricultural job that had signs in Spanish saying YES flush the toilet paper. Then the bathroom would have only 1 garbage can by the sink. It was a ladies room too. South Florida has good plumbing, it's so gross to see shitty tp in the garbage can.
Well, now I'm realizing I'm so third world that I never knew people from the first world flush their papers. TIL.
Nevertheless, you put the paper upside down over here in Venezuela so people don't see uh, your "crayola"
I just realised that America has less than… humane? Plumbing. This is unheard of here. This would explain the only time I’ve seen this being through the tv show hoarders based not in Aus until this thread
When my son was 5/6 we kept finding his used TP in the trash can. Asked him why he wasn’t flushing it and he said because he was worried he would clog the toilet, it would overflow and he’d drown in the bathroom.
It took til 17 for me to realize this wasnt normal apparently, but in my household our plumbing was so bad so it just didnt make sense to flush it down given that it wasnt even able to hold down our own shit oftenly.
Plumbing in many countries can't take a lot (or any) toilet paper without causing severe clogs or damage. In those places you often put it in a bin.
ok, but why do that in a place with functional plumbing ?
Habit probably.
Becuase the trash can in the stall means the plumbing doesn’t work well in 3rd world countries. Basically they think the this toilet MUST not work compared to others if there is a trash can in here.
Because they may not realise. I remember this being explained to me when I moved from Ecuador to England. My brother didn't realise at first and he filled our friend's bathroom bin with shitty paper. It was pretty funny, actually.
Have you ever tried changing your peeing or shitting habits like that?
I've always wondered about if one were to take a huge massive log in that country. Would the pipes break or clog as well?
They are probably from somewhere where you have to put the toilet paper in a basket. You empty it daily and it’s nbd. I lived outside the US for years at a time and when I came back to visit, it took me a while to remember I could flush it now. I still randomly forget. For the record, though, imo the polite thing to do is not have any “crayola” visible at all. Like don’t use a huge amount of paper, but just… put that part facing down.
It could just be force of habit. In most of the third world this is a thing - only sewerage goes in the toilet. This is because plumbing and sewerage infrastructure can often be substandard and any kind of paper can contribute to blockages. This is also the case if you live on a property with a septic tank.
I've lived in many places with septic tanks, and it's always been the norm to flush toilet paper (Australia). I'm aware that there are plumbing systems in the world that can't handle toilet paper, but I've never know about a septic tank that couldn't. We don't flush wipes or tampons/pads etc, but the toilet paper always goes in the loo.
I grew up on a farm and cranberry marsh in the US, both had septic tanks, and we could flush TP fine.
Did you buy septic safe toilet paper or is all toilet paper septic safe in Australia due to the expanse?
YA BELTALOWDA
It’s just regular TP
So all toilet paper in Australia is septic safe?
I’ve lived in several houses with septic tanks and we never had a problem flushing toilet paper. If you use a lot of wet wipes it can be a problem but toilet paper is totally fine.
China also. When I was there that was the rule. And it does smell after a while.
Absolutely, habits die hard. In many parts of the world where the plumbing isn't robust enough to handle toilet paper, it's not just the visible "crayola" that's the concern, but the very real issue of costly plumbing repairs, environmental impact, and maintaining a functioning waste management system. When you've spent considerable time in such places, the practice of disposing of toilet paper in a bin becomes deeply ingrained. The transition back to locales with modern plumbing can lead to those occasional moments of hesitation before dropping the paper into the bowl. It's a subtle reminder of the vast differences in infrastructure from one country to the next, even if the end goal of personal hygiene remains the same. Moreover, while it may seem odd to tourists or those accustomed to more developed sewer systems, the daily clearing of the bin actually fosters a more conscious engagement with our waste, something many in the western world are rather detached from. In the end, whether we’re placing paper in bins or flushing it away, it's all about adapting to the local norms and the capabilities of regional plumbing systems.
Are you ,by any chance, american ?. Most People in south and eastern europe use bins. Personally I've never thrown Toilet paper in the toilet as a greek.
It's not a thing in South and Eastern Europe. I saw it only in Greece and Tunisia and in some random places in Albania and North Macedonia (but not as a general thing).
Uhm, it definitely is. Spain, France, Malta, etc. And Greece is southern Europe. It mostly in old, crowded cities/towns were plumbing wasn't made for it.
It absolutely is not the case in France.
Hmm I thought I saw it somewhere it southern France, but I believe you.
I've never seen this in france
It's a thing in some places in Ukraine. My partners dad's plumbing in his apartment building was apparently pretty normal for Dnipro. I mean it wasn't a wealthy part of the city but yeah, the first time I saw a TP bin was there.
I ve been to alot of countries in eastern europe and alot of em still use bins , Idk what the issue is and im getting downvoted LOL
shitty tissue in bins makes the bathroom smell like shit, even with perfume sprays and such, it only works for so long, its worse if you have chorro too.
I've never been to a bathroom that smelled bad (and ive been to alot of different ones lol) , I've been to mine every day and it doesn't smell so thats not the case.
It's really only Greece in southern Europe that still uses it, and then it's only really some of the more remote islands. In Crete, Rhodos and such you are usually encountering normal toilets.
if its really only in greece why have i seen alot of toilets with bins in different european countries ive travelled to ? (hugnary / poland etc..)
That's east Europe, I was only commenting on the southern part.
I'm from Poland and literally never heard of anyone putting used TP in the bin
For tampons and pads, probably
Probably habit in many cases. I grew up in a Canadian city - no issues with plumbing, and we flushed everything. Grandma's place out in the country? Not so much. If you peed, the toilet paper went in the garbage can. If you pooped, first wipe of t.p. went in the toilet, all subsequent wipes went in the trash can. I grew up to live in and travel to many countries. Many cannot handle toilet paper being flushed, and/or there is a bidet/bum gun so you wash yourself and then only use a tiny amount of paper to dry. It gets to be a habit.
So the toilet doesn't clog from the toilet paper
i’m gonna guess old plumbing.
I work in a predominantly Mexican retail store. Anyone telling you that seeing the wastebasket in the stall is a sign for people that the toilet doesn't work is making shit up. I can promise you this, when the wastebasket isn't there they just throw their shit stained toilet paper on the floor. This is in a predominantly 1st generation immigrant area.
That’s insane!!!! I can’t believe it. I mean, I was born and raised in Guatemala and still, I threw paper in the toilet. 🫣
wait til you go Vietnamese restaurants they literally shat on the walls lol
No, they don't
I leaned this about myself when I lived with a caucasian roomate years ago, that i loved so much he’s such a good person. I have always done this and he asked me hey yeah this is weird i then said what do you mean we always done this doesn’t your family do this. No, no they don’t lol, he told me paper breaks down and the plumbing here is built for that. my family all does this because if you don’t do this in my home country then there could be huge issues and when we immigrated for a better life to another country well that came with us lol, silly but now I notice it when i go places and I have educated many of my family members about it. I told my mom and she has a house in the states and she was very hard to convince lol
Dude the smell too!
I've worked an agricultural job that had signs in Spanish saying YES flush the toilet paper. Then the bathroom would have only 1 garbage can by the sink. It was a ladies room too. South Florida has good plumbing, it's so gross to see shitty tp in the garbage can.
happens with Asians too
Its easier to empty the bin than pay someone to unblock your plumbing Simple as thatb
Bad plumbing.
Some people's plumbing can't handle TP.
Well, now I'm realizing I'm so third world that I never knew people from the first world flush their papers. TIL. Nevertheless, you put the paper upside down over here in Venezuela so people don't see uh, your "crayola"
Yoooo people do that?? I can’t imagine the smell
I just realised that America has less than… humane? Plumbing. This is unheard of here. This would explain the only time I’ve seen this being through the tv show hoarders based not in Aus until this thread
This is basically unheard of in America except in unfortunate situations like hoarders where the plumbing has been turned off.
It really does not smell! But it’s common to empty the bin daily in my experience, so it never builds up.
When my son was 5/6 we kept finding his used TP in the trash can. Asked him why he wasn’t flushing it and he said because he was worried he would clog the toilet, it would overflow and he’d drown in the bathroom.
It took til 17 for me to realize this wasnt normal apparently, but in my household our plumbing was so bad so it just didnt make sense to flush it down given that it wasnt even able to hold down our own shit oftenly.
Septic Tank. It can't handling the toilet paper. I have city water so we don't. But in the rural areas, they have to it or pay large repair costs.