MNHQ here: what do you think about manufacturers marketing wipes as 'flushable'?

Also, I agree with pp. People are squeamish about things like this. About the fact they shit and have periods. They want to get rid of whatever they use quickly. Flush and it's gone. I find it weird.

Poo, pee, paper in the loo. Nothing else. A bin in the loo is normal ime. Everyone knows what they are for and what goes in them.

It makes me cross. I think it's irresponsible to encourage people to flush them!

And 'flushable' is a really great word from a manufacturer's perspective - means one thing to the lawyers but something else to consumers.

People trust labels. There's a sort of 'It must be true because they wouldn't be allowed to say it if it weren't'. A feeling that there's someone (else) checking on things somewhere.

I used to think they broke down, but after a blockage caused by them, I knew the truth. Can't believe that they stay fly sable as people trust the people that make them.

It's this sort of rubbish marketing that is up-selling us all to (medical issues aside) completely unnecessary levels of "hygiene".

It would appear they do.

I think that's it, the fact it disappears round your U bend doesn't mean it will keep going for five miles of pipe to the wastewater treatment plant without settling and starting to build up a blockage. Never mind overflowing into the storm water system and ending up in the river/on the beach. Do people need educating that there isn't actually a poo fairy? or a wipe fairy?

Manufacturers get away with it because the wipe are, in fact, flushable.
They can physically be flushed down the loo.

Is it misleading? Yes, but their claims are technically true.

The fact that they are an environmental disaster is something they choose to ignore.

It seems so lax that companies can have this flushable nonsense on their packaging and cause so much trouble!

I'm all for mumsnet supporting this campaign. I'm at the end of a drain that includes a public toilet and when the drain blocks it backs up into MY garden. Not just faeces but tampons,towels,wipes and even nappies. I'm firmly of the opinion that anyone who flushes anything other than toilet roll should be sent to swim in a sewar.

Yep, excellent initiative.

No - but they went into the bathroom bin not the loo and at least are biodegradable

Northumbrian Water have been promoting safe flushing for a few years, now, with the help of Dwaine Pipe.
www.nwl.co.uk/your-home/your-services/love-your-drain.aspx

if a wipe pack says flushable, then most people will think you can do just that, if not its false / misleading and i think the utility company should write to the asa.

Presumably you combed out those cotton wool balls and used them for the next nappy change Prettybird rather than disposing of them?

Iirc there have been legal challenges in America.

I hate the disposable/easy care society we've become . Maybe it's a function of being that little bit older (mid 50s )

When ds (15 now) was a baby, we used cotton wool balls, water and a top 'n' tail bowl when his nappy was changed. Only used wet wipes (not flushed ) when we were out and about.

But thank you any way

I was briefly very excited. And then I saw there were no cleaning wipes. It's disposable cleaning wipes I'm after that can be composted.

they exist already

Totally agree it's a good campaign to back. Not only are these wipes bad for pipes, the chemicals in them are polluting the water. And we already flush gown way too many chemicals already so any reduction is good

I LOVE a cleaning wipe. I would love them even more if they could go in my compost bin!

Please someone invent these. I don't mind if you also want to do the bum wipes too but they must go in the compost, not the loo.

Manufacturers need to stop marketing them as flushable, and develop biodegradable wipes.
unless they are properly degradable/compostable but then they should go in the garden/food waste bin.

I hate those cleaning wipes
they stink and leave a weird residue on surfaces
warm soapy water+cloth cleans so much better!