No paper towels for Walmart

DICKINSON, N.D. — Not in an effort to go green but rather save further sewer problems, Dickinson’s Super Walmart is no longer offering paper towels in its restrooms.

The store elected to utilize air dryers after paper towels plugged service lines and jammed Dickinson sewer mains twice in March.

After crafting a device that would capture the plugging material, Dickinson Public Works employees spent about a month to a month and a half trying to figure out where the problem originated.

“There was a number of shops and automotive dealers up in that area so we isolated specific areas,” Public Works Director Skip Rapp said. “We didn’t suspect Walmart at first. To the guys they looked more like a shop towel.”

Anna Taylor, manager of Walmart’s media relations, said the store was approached by the city’s sewer authority.

“We strive to be a good neighbor in every community where we serve and so at their request we removed paper towels from our restrooms,” Taylor said.

Long sheets could be torn from the dispenser and the paper product was not breaking down in water, Rapp said.

Following the plugging issues, the city suggested Walmart explore alternate drying options.

If the problem wasn’t corrected, it could have caused a much larger issue such as back-ups into businesses and residences, Rapp said.

Lisa Call is a reporter at

The Dickinson (N.D.) Press,

which is owned by

Forum Communications Co.

Tags: north dakota, paper towels, news, dickinson, walmart