Flushable Wipes—Not to Blame

Late last year a group represented by the wipes industry as well as sanitation agencies ventured into two of California’s sewer systems to get to the bottom of what was causing problems and gumming up the works. These efforts, which were part of a mandate set forth by California’s Proper Labeling of Wet Wipes law, proved what wipes makers have been saying for decades…flushable wipes are not the culprit when it comes to clogs.

In fact, out of more than 1700 samples pulled from the innards of the sewer systems, only 1% of materials were designated as safe to flush, and the flushable wipes that were found had already begun to disintegrate. The bigger offenders were paper towels, non-flushable wipes and to a lesser extent feminine care products. And, of the non-flushable wipes, which represented 34% of items, all of them had the  Do Not Flush (DNF) labeling required by the California legislation, meaning that consumers are simply not paying attention when it comes to their toilets.

So, now what?

The answer is simple, education. Consumers need to be more aware of what is safe to flush and what needs to go in the garbage can. If the Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA), a group created by the wipes industry to spread the word on flushability, has its way, greater awareness is coming. The association continues to stream its message across multiple platforms, survey consumers and even educate children on what is safe to flush.

The flushability issue within the wipes industry has been an important one for decades, but in the post-Covid world, it may be more crucial than ever. The fastest growing category within wipes, moist toilet tissue (MTT) or flushable wipes, is projected to double in capacity terms from 2015 to 2025. Additionally, more consumers are ditching dry toilet paper in favor of wet wipes. Flushable wipes are growing 28% compared to 10% for traditional dry toilet paper, meaning wet products will account for 10% of the category by 2028.

As a high growth, higher margin category, wipes manufacturers have invested heavily in the category, too, both in terms of new capacity and research and development efforts. Today’s products can disperse more quickly than their predecessors did just a few years ago, and they can maintain a higher wet strength before disposal, which may account for their growing popularity. Now, consumers just need to spend a few moments reading the labels.

As always, we appreciate your comments.

Karen McIntyre
Editor