The flushable wipes market is booming. Consumers tried them during the toilet paper shortages of the Coronavirus pandemic and liked them. With new product formats, new substrate technology getting these products into more bathrooms, experts predict that the category will reach $1 billion in the near term. However, the industry continues to face challenges.

Confusion over which wipes are safe to flush and which are not continues to be a challenge facing not just the wipes industry but also retailers, wastewater agencies and especially consumers. The fact that the vast majority of wipes labeled as flushable can undoubtedly be safely flushed has been proven repeatedly in field tests. Most recently, INDA, the Responsible Flushing Alliance and CASA examined clogs from two California sewers as part of the requirements set for by California’s Proper Labeling of Wet Wipes law. What they found was that less than 1% of the collected items were flushable wipes while the majority of the blame falls on paper towels, non-flushable wipes and other materials.

This finding comes as no surprise to the nonwovens and wipes industries. Similar studies conducted over the last decade have had similar findings. However, the wipes market continues to unfairly bear the shoulder much of the blame for sewage problems, not just in the U.S. but around the globe.

One of the most read stories on nitesh_non.rodpub.com in recent weeks has centered around the UK Government’s proposal to ban plastic in certain wet wipes in the U.K. and the industry’s response to this proposed ban. Already, a number of U.K.-based retailers have prohibited the sale of plastic wipes in their stores. The problem with these efforts, however, is that plastic-free and flushable are not the same thing.

Flushable wipes technology has advanced significantly in the past 20 years and it is not simply the absence of plastic that gives them the ability to disperse quickly. Experts are afraid these U.K. efforts will add to consumer confusion and increase the flushing of wipes that should not be flushed. In short, plastic-free does not equal flushable.

”Plastic free wet wipes are not necessarily flushable, and wet wipes are not the primary cause of blockages. Therefore, taking plastic out of consumer wet wipes cannot alone solve the problem of sewer blockages,” EDANA wrote in response to the proposed U.K. ban.

Instead, the industry should rely on educational and labeling practices to keep non-flushable wipes out of toilets like the California legislation has required.

As always, we appreciate your comments.

Karen McIntyre
Editor
[email protected]