For many people, flushing period products can feel like the easiest option. It's quick, convenient and, for generations, it has often been treated as normal. But the truth is that toilets are only designed for three things: pee, poo and toilet paper. Everything else becomes a problem somewhere down the line.

And often, that problem ends up in our rivers.

Period products don't simply disappear when they are flushed. Many contain plastics that can take hundreds of years to break down. Along the way, they can contribute to blockages in sewer systems, increase the risk of sewage overflows and add to the growing problem of plastic pollution in our waterways.

This isn't a small issue. It's estimated that between 1.5 and 2 billion menstrual products are flushed down UK toilets every year. Many of these products contain plastic, with some disposable pads made from up to 90% plastic. Rather than disappearing, they can contribute to sewer blockages, sewage spills and plastic pollution in our waterways.

The UK faces around 300,000 sewer blockages every year, costing approximately £100 million to clear. While not every blockage is caused by period products, sanitary waste is among the items regularly found within them. When sewers overflow, rivers and coastal waters are often the ones that pay the price.

As paddlers, we see the consequences firsthand. We paddle through places that should be thriving habitats for wildlife and spaces where communities can connect with nature. Every unnecessary item flushed down a toilet increases the pressure on those environments.

The consequences aren't hidden from view for long.

I've stood beside rivers after heavy rain and seen debris tangled in branches along the banks. I've watched wildlife navigate waters carrying more litter than they should. I've paddled through places of extraordinary beauty and wondered how much cleaner they could be if we all made a few small changes.

We're often the first to see the health of our rivers. We notice the litter caught in overhanging branches, the signs of pollution after heavy rain and the impacts that poor waste disposal can have on wildlife. Protecting our waterways isn't just something we talk about from a canoe or paddleboard. Sometimes it starts in the bathroom.

The thing is, nobody flushes a period product because they want to harm the environment. Most people simply don't realise the journey that product takes after they press the handle. That's why conversations like this matter.

Protecting our rivers isn't only about major environmental campaigns, government policies or large-scale clean-ups. It's also about the tiny decisions we make every day. The things we do in our homes, workplaces, schools and leisure centres. The everyday choices that, when multiplied by thousands of people, can make a real difference.

Choosing to bin period products instead of flushing them is one of those choices. It's a simple action that helps reduce blockages, lowers the risk of sewage pollution and keeps unnecessary waste out of our waterways.

Most importantly, it's a reminder that our rivers are not separate from us.

The water we paddle on, swim in, fish from and enjoy is part of the same system that runs through our communities. Looking after it isn't somebody else's responsibility. It belongs to all of us.

So next time you're in a toilet and faced with the choice, think of the river nearest to you.

Because protecting our rivers doesn't always start on the riverbank. Sometimes it starts with what we choose not to flush away.

• Between 1.5 and 2 billion menstrual products are estimated to be flushed in the UK each year, around 35-47% of all period products used. [wen.org.uk]
• The UK experiences around 300,000 sewer blockages every year, costing approximately £100 million to clear. Sanitary products are among the items that contribute to these blockages. [phs.co.uk], [water.org.uk]
• Research suggests that 2.4 million tampons are flushed down UK toilets every day. [phs.co.uk]
• Many disposable menstrual products contain plastic. Some sanitary pads can be made from up to 90% plastic. [wen.org.uk]
• Menstrual product disposal generates around 28,000 tonnes of waste every year in the UK. [wen.org.uk]