Toilet paper seems to be a pretty harmless, safe thing to have around the house. Or so one would think. It does, in fact, present more than just one risk to one's families health.

Apart from the soreness, itching and whatever else it can cause to sensitive areas, the fact that it is often used in excess to ensure these areas are cleaned properly presents another risk, namely that of blocked pipes.

Large numbers of households have septic tanks, which typically consist of two main components, namely the actual septic tank and the so-called drain field, or a land drain system.

All the waste water drains from the house into the septic tank, which is designed specifically to retain the waste water long enough to allow any heavy solids to sink down and settle at the bottom. Here bacteria will partially decompose those solids and form sludge.