Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

2016-10-27

Edana says making all wet wipes ‘Do not Flush’ isn’t the answer

More than 90% of the wipes available in supermarkets and stores across the UK should be disposed of in the rubbish bin, and the biggest thing consumers can do to protect the sewer network is to stop flushing things that weren’t designed to be flushed. Baby, cleaning and cosmetic wipes must go in the bin, not the toilet!

Making all wipes “Do Not Flush” isn’t the answer. Denying people a flushable product altogether will only make the problem worse, as flushable products will be replaced with those not designed to be flushed. Rather, EDANA believes that education is essential to helping the consumer know how and where to best dispose of their wipes.

Flushable wipes have to pass a rigorous set of tests developed by experts who have the extensive R&D knowledge, resources, and technical expertise to address the issue, so we’re confident that when we call a wipe flushable, that it is indeed flushable.

Additionally, to get consensus, global wipes and the water industry experts have been working together at the International Standards Organisation to get agreement on what test and limits reflect an agreed flushable product. In addition to this, EDANA is keen to focus on consumer education, and has already produced a short animation to help people understand why it’s so important to use the rubbish bin for wipes that are labelled with the ‘Do not Flush’ logo.

Not a single blockage has been found to be as a result of a flushable wipe, and independent research in major cities across the world have shown that the vast majority – more than 95% – of blockages are made up of things that were never designed to be down the toilet, including baby wipes, paper towel, cotton buds and feminine hygiene products.

Sewer networks deserve to be treated with respect, so Edana reminds people to check the pack, and when they see the ‘Do not Flush’ symbol, put the wipe in the bin.