Are Flushable Wipes ACTUALLY Flushable?
Flushable wipes may not be so flushable after all, according to recent studies.
According to a recent consumer report and several investigations of clogged sewer lines, it seems that despite marketers’ claims that the wipes are just as easily broken down after flushing as toilet paper, the ‘flushable’ wipes are actually very durable and do not actually break down and disintegrate as advertised.
There is even a class action lawsuit pending against Target, claiming that the wipes sold by the company as flushable wipes are a danger to public health.
Despite this, it seems knowledge that flushable wipes do not function as intended has not reached the consumers, as sewer and septic systems continue to be clogged by these wipes.
So how exactly do these wipes impact the sewer system?
For starters, they do not break down like toilet paper, despite being advertised as doing so.
The wipes also often contain alcohol, which acts as a sterilizing agent before the wipe is flushed but kills the bacteria that break down solid waste in sewers and septic systems.
Additionally, the wipes tend to stick to fat in pipes and vice versa, leading to large buildups called fatbergs that can get so big that they block pipes completely.
London officials recently discovered a fatberg of enormous size, and it was found that ‘flushable’ wipes played no small part in its formation.
Hopefully, the evidence clarifies the importance of not ‘flushable wipes.’
‘ Flushable’ wipes in their current iteration are a danger to the integrity of our sewer and septic systems and should be treated as such.
However, if you buy some that you haven’t used, remember that they can still be disposed of in the trash like ordinary wipes. Help prevent further damage to our sewers by not flushing them.
For more information, please get in call Flowpoint today.
Other posts by Jay Morrison
Jay Morrison
I have been in the bulk water dispensing station controls and septage receiving station controls world for over 20 years. Together with the team at Flowpoint, we have helped over 700 communities in North America implement our turn-key solutions, cloud-based software, and controls to help them better manage their bulk water dispensing and septage receiving processes.