Eggshells are common household waste and like a lot of other food waste, it is convenient to just toss them into the garbage disposal. There are actually some differing opinions about whether or not this is okay, but there are some things to consider about putting eggshells down your garbage disposal.
Eggshells should not ever be put in your garbage disposal. Even if the outer hard shell of the egg is ground up, the inner membrane can wrap around the blades creating a clog. The hard, sharp edges of the inner shell can also damage the blades in the disposal, which can lead to a decrease in the unit’s performance and potentially even cause it to break down.
Additionally, eggshells can also cause clogs in the plumbing system. As the eggshells are ground up in the disposal, they can create a sludgy mixture that can stick to the sides of the pipes and create a blockage. This can lead to slow drains and eventually result in a full-blown clog that will require a plumber to fix.
Eggshells comprise a thin outer membrane and a hard, calcium-rich inner shell. The thin membrane can easily be ground up by the blades in a garbage disposal, but the inner shell is more durable and can cause problems.
Furthermore, eggshells are not biodegradable, which means that they do not break down easily in the environment. When they are disposed of in the garbage disposal, they will end up in the sewer system and eventually in a wastewater treatment plant.
At the treatment plant, the eggshells will not break down and will instead contribute to the build-up of solid waste in the system. This can cause problems for the treatment plant and can even lead to environmental pollution.
Do eggshells sharpen garbage disposal blades?
First, it is important to understand how a garbage disposal works. When you turn on the disposal, the blades inside the unit start spinning, which grinds up the food waste into small pieces. The ground-up food waste is then washed away through the drain and into the sewer or septic system.
Eggshells do not actually sharpen the disposal blades. Instead, the shell will be ground up, but the membrane of the egg can pose a problem. This part of the egg can actually wrap around the blades and clog the disposal.
So, what should you do with eggshells instead of putting them in the garbage disposal?
The easiest thing to do with your eggshells is to simply toss them in the trash. It is important to note that eggshells do not break down very fast on their own, so throwing them in the trash is not necessarily the best option.
My favorite way to dispose of eggshells is to compost them! In order to do this, you should first crush them up to help them break down more quickly. You can then toss them in your compost and mix as you normally would. Eggshells add calcium to your compost which is very beneficial to certain vegetables that you may be growing in your garden, so it’s a win-win!