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

[Stinkerbelle37]

Back it entirely.

The very fact that there is confusion on here proves the point. People need to know that these will block drains...

[cozietoesie]

...can be is not should be....

Agreed.

[traviata]

I support this.

And I also support what MrsDeVere said - it's not about 'mums' blocking the pipes.

[MoonlightandMusic]

Definitely would support this one.

Just checked the MN recommended ASDA ones - they clearly say 'do not flush' in the disposal instructions so at least some companies can get it right...

[cozietoesie]

The trouble is that how many people actually read disposal instructions? And even if they did, an easy way round it would be to buy the ones that said 'flushable' in big letters at the front of the pack.

[catkirk]

YANBU but also what MrsDeVere said.

[Pipbin]

I use moist toilet paper sometimes.
I had no idea this didn't break down like normal paper.

[cozietoesie]

This isn't a UK article but then it's not just a UK issue.

[clockbuscanada]

Totally agree that the only thing you should flush is poo, wee or TP. Occasional bit of vom, maybe. That's it. I wouldn't really trust anything else to be genuinely "flushable", even if it said it was.

[ProfessorPreciseaBug]

MNHQ...

Please get behind this campaign

[AuntieMaggie]

Definitely - it upsets me how much money goes into clearing these things up that could be better spent elsewhere if only people binned them instead of flushing them and then then ending up on beaches, in the sea and rivers!

[GiraffesAndButterflies]

Hell yes I'd agree. We had to pay for a blockage to be cleared that caused flooding under our drive. Blockage caused by wipes, which we have never used. Our plumber specifically said never to flush "flushable" products because "flushable" is a big fat lie.

[cozietoesie]

And here's an article on the London 'fatberg'.

[stealthsquiggle]

Goring - one a week is probably not going to make all that much difference if you are having your septic tank emptied regularly anyway, but if your tank and drains are as sodding useless fragile as ours (we regularly have to clear a build up of washing liquid residue FGS) then it really can't take the strain of anything extra - I am sure no one needs to know the sort of sludge that quilted toilet paper can turn into but I have met it in person and will never buy sodding puppies on a roll again (apologies for TMI).

[megletthesecond]

They're not suitable for being flushed. I certainly wouldn't.

Same goes for tampons and towels. Bag and bin, never flush.

[20thcenturybitch]

I am a bit shocked by this thread. I don't consider myself an idiot and would never flush sanpro or baby wipes but when I buy a product from tesco that says "Flushable & dispersible breaks down when flushed" on the front, I expect that's what it will do!

Retraining my, very particular, pre-schooler will be a challenge but I will give it a go.

Have just investigated the packet further and right enough it does say flush only one wipe at a time in the small print on back.

[cozietoesie]

Which is not what you understood from the front, 20th?

[cozietoesie]

I think the answer to your question is probably* Yes, Rowan.*

[cozietoesie]

Device 1, cozie 0.

[sleeponeday]

I knew not to flush baby wipes etc (for the most part I use washables, anyway, so not an issue) but I use those loo cleaner wipes sometimes and deliberately buy the ones that say "flushable" on them - I had no idea.

I'm glad of the thread. I won't do it in future.

[BeeMyBaby]

I didn't realise either, I presumed the flushable toilet wipes were the flushable and the flushable nappy liners were also flushable. Will stop flushing them now.... I agree with others that the manufacturers should not be able to claim this on their packaging.

[Heatherjayne1972]

Never knew you can't flush tampons..
Surely the 'powers that be' should be 'encouraging'( forcing) manufacturers to make these things properly biodegradable and suing them for misleading information on their packaging

[greybead]

Completely agree with this. I've never flushed ordinary baby wipes but when my kids were toilet training, I used "flushable" kandoo wipes. After a while, my drains became blocked and I had to get a company to come out and clear them, costing me ££. The guy who cleared several hundred or possibly thousand of these wipes out of my drain system told me never to flush a kandoo wipe again as they aren't actually flushable.

I had thought that they were a quick and hygienic way to clear bums/accidents etc so I even wiped ds's wee off the floor with them and flushed them. After the drain incident, I never bought anything by kandoo ever again. Several year later, drains completely fine. Think kandoo should be fined for this sort of marketing.