The Guidance Document on the Flushability of Nonwoven Consumer Products was published by INDA (Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry) and EDANA (European Disposables and Nonwovens Association) yesterday. The guidelines represent the first-ever initiative to provide companies with a comprehensive framework for testing products to determine their flushability.

Speaking at the launch of the Guidance Document at the World of Wipes Conference (WOW) in Chicago, IL, Rory Holmes, president of INDA, said, “An increasingly diverse range of disposable hygiene products is now available for consumer use in the home. Some, which address public health and hygiene considerations, may best be disposed of via the toilet.  It is important to ensure that such products can be disposed of in this way without causing problems.”   

The document is the culmination of a three-year program of work sponsored by the two industry associations. Technical experts from member companies pooled their own company expertise and drew on the advice and knowledge of experts in academia, consultant engineering and the wastewater industry to develop the recommended approach. It is a First Edition document that will be updated over time, in partnership with the wastewater industry and associated bodies, as new information comes to hand and new technologies emerge.

“The development of the Guidance Document is one aspect of the industry’s work in this important area,” said Pierre Wiertz, EDANA general manager. “Concise, clear and consistent communications about whether products should be flushed down the toilet is equally important. Our members have agreed to develop a universal symbol for on-pack labeling which will provide consumers with at-a-glance information about whether the product is appropriate for disposal via the wastewater system.”