AIBU to start a campaign to ban wipes?

[annandale]

Wipes are an environmental disaster, a key component of fatbergs and sold as a flushable essential when they should be treated like morphine - controlled except for specific medical needs. Anyone with me?

[Goldenbug]

We should ban squirrels too. They're as bad as wipes when flushed.


Or maybe we should just not flush things that aren't meant to be flushed.

[picklemepopcorn]

The 'flushable' ones don't actually biodegrade fast enough.

If you put one in a bottle of water and shake it, it's doesn't disintegrate for ages.

[ILoveMillhousesDad]

I would never flush wipes, but YOU ARE NOT TAKING MY WIPES FROM ME!!!

Go away.

[existentialmoment]

If they're flushable and biodegradable then why wouldn't you flush them?

because they are neither, obviously.

[Taylor22]

If you did manage to get them banned I'd stockpile enough to get me to my youngest 21 birthday. I love them. I know they're not great but I am not giving them up.

[mumofone234]

Cheeky Wipes Cheeky Wipes Cheeky Wipes. I cannot recommend them highly enough. Plus they're so much better for baby's skin than all those chemicals.

[mamatobabes]

Ha! I buy and use water wipes by the box from Costco. No way would I support banning them.

I don't flush them though. I used to when I knew no better (for a few weeks post partum, wipes were needed frequently, and lots of them!) until I managed to block our downstairs drain with them and was informed by the dyno-rod man that it was entirety my own fault that we had shit water flooding the downstairs loo. Oops.

So no ban, but yes publicise not to flush. Flushable wipes, according to dyno-rod man are a complete con and also not flushable.

[megletthesecond]

As long as they're not flushed it's ok.

I've never flushed one. It's pretty obvious they're not going to break down easily.

There should probably be a don't flush wipes and tampons campaign.

[RB68]

Or support this innovative company Twipes

climatelaunchpad.org/finalists/twipes/

[MargaretTwatyer]

Yeah man. Just like Morphine. I was down the bus station the other day and the amount of people high on Huggies was insane. I saw someone mainlining a Wet One and a girl barely out of school turning £5 tricks for a hit of Johnson and Johnson.

Wipes ruin lives man. Just like morphine.

[averylongtimeago]

So called biodegradable flushable wipes might biodegrade after about 100 years, but not before they have bunged up drains, blocked sewers and damaged the environment.

DH and DS are in the building trade - and have unbunged many a drain over the years. And yes, flushable wipes are a prime cause of blockages. Along with fat, cooking oils and what they refer to as "lady products "

[KateTheShrew]

If they're flushable and biodegradable then why wouldn't you flush them

I may have got this wrong, but I think that unless you buy wipes that specifically claim to be biodegradable, most of them aren't. They're full of plastic fibres and don't break down. I buy biodegradable baby wipes now (and don't use any other wipes) but haven't yet taken the plunge and moved over to washable/reusable wipes.

Do those who use cheeky wipes etc find them good? Do you remember to wash them frequently enought or do you often run out and have to resort to disposables anyway?

[existentialmoment]

I may have got this wrong, but I think that unless you buy wipes that specifically claim to be biodegradable, most of them aren't
Even the ones that claim to be are not.

[ArcheryAnnie]

I'm with you, OP, even if nobody else is - they are a menace. We didn't all die of Crusty Bum before they were invented, and we won't die of Crusty Bum when they are finally banned.

Biodegradable, my (perfectly clean) arse.

[MamaOfTwos]

YABU.

You're not having my wipes so do fuck off.

[HoundOfTheBasketballs]

YANBU OP, but most people won't agree with you.

I do say this as someone who is way beyond the sick/poo/snot phase of children though.
If you'd asked me eight years ago my answer might have been different.

It's so tough (understandably) to get people to give up stuff like this, which is one of the reasons the planet is probably fucked.

[RebelRogue]

No,no,no leave my(not flushed down the loo) wipes alone. I have stashes of baby wipes in every room and a stash of cleaning ones in the kitchen. Green apple..mmmm.

[ALittleMop]

how about you start with plastic water/drinks bottles and when you've got that sorted, then start on the wipes? [helpful]

[BuzzKillington]

Noooo! I must've gone through thousands of wipes when ours were small.

Best invention ever.

We still use all manner of anti-bac wipes, floor wipes etc.

Never flush though!

[FiveBoys]

YANBU! For years we managed with holding the baby under a running tap and washing its bum so Im at a loss as to why water no longer works.

Thankfully though my lot seem to still go about things the old fashioned way for my 6 grandchildren so its not much of an issue in the family. We do however live on a septic tank system so perhaps that makes a difference.

[Spikeyball]

No. Wipes are very much needed in this house.

[KateTheShrew]

Oh no, existential moment that's not what I wanted to hear

I've been using these ones www.jacksonreece.com/ that claim to be biodegradable and compostable. Now I'm wondering where what they actually mean is 'compostable and biodegradable... if you wait 1,000 years'.

[IncyWincyGrownUp]

I think wipes could be made more biodegradable but they still shouldn't ever be flushed.

I'm not giving wipes up though. I have an incontinent primary school aged child, wipes are an invaluable part of our day and you can prise them from my cold dead hands.

[KateTheShrew]

I'm not flushing them, by the way. Just binning them and bought the so called bipdegradable ones to ease my conscience about them hanging around in landfill.