It’s not a good idea to flush toilet paper down the drain. The exit at the lower part of the toilet could appear wide however, it narrows quickly to a pipe which transfers waste to the sewer system of the public. The flow rate for these pipes is low , and the chance of solid waste like paper towels getting stuck in the pipe is quite high. 

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One of the advantages of using paper towels to wash up spills is the fact that it is durable and holds its shape regardless of whether it is wet. This characteristic is why it is not suitable for flushing. Toilet paper is made to rapidly break down in water, which means it can flow through sewer pipes with no difficulty. When paper towels aren’t broken down , they are actually solid and need to be moved through pipes.

It’s not just the paper towels in themselves that pose a danger as well as all the other particles they could be entangled with on the route. Sewer pipes are full of many non-flushable materials like hair, dental floss or cooking oil and paper towels could easily mix with the waste , causing even bigger blockages that are extremely difficult to get rid of. There are two locations to better get rid of paper towels: 

Compost. If the towel was used for cleaning up after cooking, it could be composted with other materials that can be composted.

Garbage. If the paper towel was used to clean and has chemicals and cleaning agents the most efficient way to get rid from it would be to dispose of it in the trash. Chemicals and cleaning agents do not belong in composting.

Unfortunately, much like tissues, paper towels are also designed to absorb moisture, and they are not able to break down in water. That being said, it is best not to flush paper towels down the drain.

When the paper towel is at its end lifespan and is no longer needed, the best place to dispose of it is to put it in the trash can or unless you compost your own waste at your home. If that is the situation, paper towels could be a fantastic supplement to compost.