Toilet-friendly wipes made clear for consumers
Consumers will now find it easier to choose toilet-friendly flushable products thanks to new guidelines for manufacturers.
Gippsland Water has welcomed the approval of a new standard that will see only wipes that break down and do not cause blockages labelled as ‘flushable’.
“In the past, some wipes have been marketed as ‘flushable’ when they actually don’t break down in water and can cause blockages and damage to our pipes and wastewater treatment equipment,” Gippsland Water managing director Sarah Cumming explained.
“This has been a real problem for us and other water corporations, costing thousands of dollars in repairs every year.
“It’s been difficult for us to educate the community on what not to flush, when these wipes have been marketed as ‘flushable’.
“Now the standard has been introduced, manufacturers will need to make sure their products meet criteria in order to display the flushable symbol.”
Ms Cumming said manufacturers will have several months to adopt the new, voluntary standard, and consumers can start looking for the symbol soon.
As a member of the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), Gippsland Water has supported the peak industry body’s development of the standard for flushable products.
“It is exciting to see the release of this standard, which has been many years in the making,” WSAA executive director Adam Lovell said.
“One of the first of its kind internationally, it is the result of ground-breaking collaboration between manufacturers, water utilities, peak bodies and consumer groups.”
ENDS
