Have You Ever Wondered What Happens When You Flush The Toilet On A Plane?

Whether you enjoy the thrill of boarding a plane or find it horrifying, one thing that all air travelers can agree on is that the restrooms are rather weird.

But, then again, what would you expect from a tiny box 37,000 feet in the air that serves a large number of passengers?

Then again, you’re not the only one to have ever questioned what happens when you use the restroom on an aircraft, such as where it goes and why it’s so noisy.

Some have believed that the waste is simply dumped from the plane’s bottom, but fortunately for those on the ground, this is not the case.

For more than 30 years, airlines have employed vacuum toilets to avoid carrying unneeded water, which would add significantly to its weight.

According to Gizmodo, “Pressing the flush button opens a valve in the bottom of the bowl, exposing the contents to a pneumatic vacuum.

“That vacuum sucks the load down the plane’s sewer line into a 200-gallon holding tank.”

The restrooms also include a Teflon non-stick coating to aid in the removal of waste. The waste remains in the tank throughout the flight and is vacuumed out by ground workers.

How do they make sure pilots don’t drop the garbage in mid-flight? The tank appears to have a clasp on the outside that can only be opened from the outside.

That’s all there is to it. When you’re on an aircraft and need to use the restroom, you’ll know exactly what’s going on. Just try not to worry about the fact that you’re standing on a 200-gallon tank of human excrement.