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

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello

We've been contacted by a major utilities company asking Mumsnet to throw its weight behind a campaign it's running on the marketing of 'flushable' wet wipes and 'moist' toilet tissue.

The organisation that's contacted us says that 80% of all sewer blockages are the result of sewer misuse, and that 70% of these blockages are the result of wet wipes. They want manufacturers to stop being able to label wipes as being 'flushable'.

They are going to write to the Advertising Standards Authority complaining that consumers are being misled by the packaging and claims on many of these products. They say consumers are encouraged to believe that these products break down harmlessly when flushed - whereas in truth, they don't break down after flushing and can end up causing blocks, leaks and flooding.

We know from previous conversations about tampons and sanpro that MNers tend to be stalwart defenders of the public sewage system, so we said we'd ask you whether this was a campaign you'd like us to swing behind.

As ever, it would be great to hear what you think.

Thanks
MNHQ

We've had so many bunfights threads on the subject and there's always someone who's too precious to put tampons in the bin.

'Relative flushability' discussions. That's a horrible thought.

already suggested the way-too-simple solution. You flush body waste and small amounts of toilet paper. You flush nothing else.

doesn't matter how many ickle puppies or flowers are on the packaging. You flush nothing else. You buy a bin if you insist on using wipes.

the Asian style toilet-shower has a lot to be said for it - in an Asian climate.

and yes, waste disposals in sinks are an outmoded eco-disaster. The only food waste should be tea bags and veg peelings and those go on the compost heap or in your council's food waste bin. Not down the sink with drinkable water.

Why on earth does anyone need potty training wipes??

In a fit of thread-induced paranoia, I have just checked all toilets and sinks in the house. The trouble is, though, that we're not in control of our own destiny here. (Those nice neighbours could be flushing Goodness Knows What down their toilets etc and the sewage system in most places is all connected.)

General awareness raising is needed.

It's really no better for the environment to bin wipes rather than flush. If an item takes a long time to biodegrade it is creating a problem somewhere in its disposal. .

I would prefer the campaign to focus on the excess use of unnecessary hygienic wipes and one time use cleaning products. This sort of product has been marketed by creating a demand for a item that really isn't needed, by convincing people (who no doubt shower daily) that they are dirty or unhygienic if they don't use them.

And the 'biodegradable' wipes nearly always come in nice plastic packaging.

That too for both the last two posters! Use less, rule no 1.

If they shouldn't be flushed (and they absolutely shouldn't, from the figures in the OP) then describing them as 'flushable' is not only lying, it's downright irresponsible.

The manufacturers should be pulled up by the ASA. Perhaps the campaign should be that these manufacturers should also be paying the costs to clear the blockages. That might concentrate their minds on their morals.

If we were in America somebody somewhere would be preparing a class action for the additional costs of fixing the drains and sewage treatment caused by flushing these wipes.

And I would say that actually it is better for the environment to bin rather than flush. Kitchen paper and some of these wipes are biodegradable so can be binned. What they won't do is dissolve or breakdown in water at the same rate as toilet paper and cause blockages.

They're still being discarded yes that's true and they're not great for the environment, also true, but those are longer term and less immediate issues than the current flushing problem.

We used washable wipes for dc2. They were brilliant and environmentally friendly.

The trouble is, Where, that they can be flushed - as can many things that should never go near a sewage system - so they're probably not acting illegally.

As a PP. said, if I recall, 'can doesn't mean should'. (Or words to that effect.)

Moving someone will probably be along shortly to tell you that washable wipes are worse for the environment than disposables. It always happens if someone says they use washable anything!

Yeah probably

I recently bought bathroom and kitchen wipes for the first time, as I'd hurt my arm and needed to be able to clean one-handed. I love the convenience of them (no cloths to rinse and wring out), but hate that the packets say they are flushable.

I would love to use wipes all the time, but won't because I think they are environmentally horrible. Manufacturers need to stop marketing them as flushable, and develop biodegradable wipes. How hard can it be?

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

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 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.

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

they exist already

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.

But thank you any way

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.

Iirc there have been legal challenges in America.

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

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.