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WET WIPES: DO NOT FLUSH |
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by Yvonne Wabai | 10-04-2017 04:23
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The fact that wet wipes aren't to be flushed may be news to most people, and with good reason. Most brands label their wet wipes 'safe to flush' and, as a result, many people end up flushing their wet wipes down the toilet. But why shouldn't wet wipes be flushed if they're labelled 'safe to flush'?
Well, wet wipes are labelled as 'safe to flush', not because they're actually flushable, but because, since the mid-2000s, wet wipes have become more commonly used as alternative toilet people in affluent homes. They were labelled as flushable by manufacturers so as to encourage this use. But what exactly is it that makes wet wipes unflushable? Well, wet wipes are produced as air-laid paper. This is where the fibres are carried and formed to the structure of paper by air or with nonwoven spun-lace fabric. The fibres are intermingled with hydro-entanglement through very high pressure of water. They are then moistened with water or other liquids based on their applications. They may be treated with softeners, lotions or perfumes. Preservatives are also used in order to prevent bacterial/fungal growth in the package. Air-laid paper forms clogs when flushed. And, because some of the ingredients in the wet wipes are highly lipophilic i.e. fat-loving, the wet wipes cling together with fats to form fatbergs. Clogs and fatbergs block internal plumbing, septic systems and public sewer systems. Additionally, alcohol-containing wipes kill the bacteria and enzymes responsible for breaking down solid wastes in septic tanks. Furthermore, wet wipes are non-biodegradable. There have been very many incidences of fatbergs and clogs in many different cities around the world. So much so that there are several cities that are currently suing wet wipe manufacturing companies for labelling their products 'flushable' when they're clearly not. For instance, in April 2015, a 40-metre long fatberg was reported as having been removed from underneath Chelsea. The damage inflicted by the fatberg was estimated to cost about 400,000 British pounds to repair and took two months to remove. In January 2016, the Eleeban sewage pumping station was damaged as a result of a blockage from a fatberg that weighed about a tonne and took about 4 hours to remove by crane. There are numerous ongoing petitions by water firms, city councils and environmentalists calling for wet wipe manufacturers to remove the 'safe to flush' labels ad replace them with 'do not flush' labels. The proper way to dispose of wet wipes is to throw them in the trash, in the non-biodegradable section. Other things that should never be flushed down the toilet include condoms, pills, cotton balls, cotton swabs, sanitary pads, tampons, paper towels, cigarette butts, band-aids, dental floss, cat litter and disposable diapers. Also, avoid pouring fats, oils and grease down the drain or garbage disposal. References. 1. Wikipedia.
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6 Comments
thanks for sharing
Posted 06-02-2018 23:17
good report
Posted 06-02-2018 23:16
Yvonne, thank you for your report. That was very informative. I did not know there was such an issue with wet wipes. Also the list of the things not to be flushed down was interesting. I believe this is an interesting topic that I could keep my eye on. Thank you!
Posted 12-04-2017 14:29
Hi Yvonne! Thanks for sharing informative report!
I've seen the notice saying 'do not flush wet wipes' several times, and i was wondering why.
Your post just got me an answer! Thanks you again:)
Posted 12-04-2017 13:06
Thank you Yvonne!
Posted 10-04-2017 20:54
You have well informed us Yvonne. I fully agree with your information. As such we do not flush anything except water. Thanks.
Posted 10-04-2017 19:36