ARE FLUSHABLE WIPES ACTUALLY FLUSHABLE?

No, not all "flushable" wipes are actually flushable. While many brands of wipes marketed as "flushable" may technically be able to pass through a toilet's drain pipes, they can still cause problems further down the line.

The reason for this is that flushable wipes are typically made from materials that are not as biodegradable as toilet paper. As a result, they can easily get caught on obstructions in the sewer system, leading to blockages and backups that can cause serious damage.

In fact, flushable wipes are a major contributor to sewer overflows and other plumbing issues, as well as environmental problems like ocean pollution.

Therefore, it's generally recommended to avoid flushing any type of wipes, even those marketed as "flushable." Instead, it's best to dispose of them in the trash to prevent potential plumbing issues.

What few people know is that in May 2022 a new Standard was released for Australia and New Zealand, AS/NZS 5328 Flushable Products, that covers the strict pass/fail criteria for wet wipes to be flushable. This standard has been modelled on what is currently in play in Europe, however, AS/NZS5328 is stricter in full compliance. Europe has successfully implemented the GD4 Standard for flushable wipes or often referred to as flushable toilet tissues, reducing the incidence of blocked drains and providing proper protection for wastewater systems. A flushable wipe that meets AS/NZS 5238 standard ensures that wet wipes have been assessed to ensure they correctly break down and disperse when flushed similarly to toilet paper.

In general, it's best to avoid flushing any type of wipes, even those marketed as "flushable." Instead, it's recommended to dispose of them in the trash to prevent potential plumbing issues. So, let's pause there for a minute. If there was a flushable wet wipe that did disperse under a toilet flush and broke down in a similar way to toilet paper, how much of a positive impact could that have on the environment? In the personal care space, there are baby wipes, intimate care wipes, cosmetic wipes, and aged care wipes to name a few of the common wet wipes that either accumulate into landfill (when correctly disposed of) or add to toilet blockage statistics (when incorrectly disposed of). Collectively these wipes would conservatively total 12 billion wipes per annum, and at an average weight of 1.5grams per wipe, this equates to 18,000,000 kg of waste that needs to be dealt with in landfill when correctly disposed of.

How long do flushable wipes take to dissolve?

A flushable wipe will commence dispersing within seconds of being flushed, as the pressure and agitation of flushing will break up the short particles in a similar way to toilet paper. Within 30-60 seconds an approved flushable wipe should be dispersed.

How many wipes can you flush at once?

This can depend on the size of the wipe which determines the total weight of the wipes. Smaller wipes in a similar size are usually recommended at a maximum of 2 wipes per full flush. A larger flushable wipe will be recommended at 1 wipe per full flush.

Plumbers will tell you of the nightmares from what lies beneath when unblocking drains and what is found, with wet wipes featuring prominently on their list. The fact is wet wipes are made of non-woven fabrics.

There is a major environmental impact of wet wipes on landfills; if we hone in on the baby wipe market for a brief moment, the impact is clear. Currently, it is estimated that more than 2 billion nappies are used each year in Australia, and if we average 2-3 wet wipes used per nappy change then baby wipes are upwards of 5 billion wipes per annum. Correctly disposed of, plastic-based baby wipes end up in landfill, which is clearly understood, however, there is a big misconception about where biodegradable and/or compostable wipes end up. All the videos and claims from baby wipe suppliers advising they have compostable baby wipes may well be correct, but the fact is compost bins for both home and industry can't accept human faeces because of the risk of viruses and pathogens impacting the compost. Therefore, plant-based baby wipes still end up in landfills, as compostable materials only break down in composting conditions.