Disposable wet wipes have many uses, such as personal hygiene, baby care, and household cleaning. In recent years, another use has emerged as a toilet paper substitute for affluent consumers. It has been cited for comfort and convenience compared to regular toilet paper. Since wet wipes (marketed as flushable and safe for septic systems) started appearing in stores, many people have questioned whether these wet wipes are actually flushable. Given that septic systems are both vital in function and sensitive to what gets put in them, these are valid concerns. Over the years, cases have come up where the answer to the question “are flushable wipes safe?” turns out as not as confident a “yes” as one would hope.

What Do They Mean by “Flushable?”

Marketers are obligated by the Federal Trade Commission to not lie about products under the pain of fines and lawsuits. Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that marketing is always true. Companies sometimes use loopholes in what the FTC regulates to say misleading things about their products. The use of the term “flushable” is one such case: there does not exist a legal definition of what counts as “flushable.” “Flushable” is simply defined by that it can be flushed down the toilet, but another definition would specify items that can be flushed without issue. Wet wipes generally fit the first usage, so companies can call their wipes flushable. For example, when pressed on the subject, Kimberly-Clark, one company responsible for various brands of hygiene products, made a video to demonstrate that their wipes are, indeed, flushable. The focus is on the looser definition, though, with the video emphasizing that the wipes can pass through “properly maintained drain lines” that, in the demonstration, don’t simulate the expected conditions of real-world septic pipes except after thorough cleaning. Making matters worse are cases where consumers mistake non-flushable wipes as “flushable” ones because the “do not flush” warning is too easily overlooked.

Breaking It Down

What goes down the toilet doesn’t just vanish, it’s piped into a septic tank or sewer. Toilet paper is used in restrooms because of its ability to quickly break down in the water, preventing clogs in the plumbing lines. It can do this because it’s composed of manufactured paper designed to be very biodegradable. On the other hand, many disposable wipes are made of nonwoven textiles such as polyester, cotton, and air-laid paper made from bulkier wood pulp. These fibers are chosen for holding together better when wet, necessary for their intended function, but this comes with a downside. Plastic fibers are rarely biodegradable, while cotton and air-laid paper are biodegradable but do not break down quickly in water. Looking at the video by Kimberly-Clark, the demonstration shows “flushable” wipes only starting to break down after 35 minutes of constant churning in clean water, fully disintegrating three hours later. Put simply, these aren’t conditions you’ll find in a typical septic tank. All too often, flushable wipes that break down don’t actually break down soon enough.

When Cleaning Products Become Waste

Anything flushed down the drain that doesn’t disintegrate can build up. Cases of “non-flushable” items snagging in pumps are called “ragging.” Sewer agencies across the nation have had to contend with this growing problem. Ragging ties up labor needed for more typical maintenance and can lead to disaster if left unchecked. News lines about events like the London ‘fatberg’ may seem far-fetched, but they’re a reality that municipal infrastructures face. The waste provides a surface for more waste to catch on, and a major component of that blockage is “flushable” wipes, as the fatberg demonstrates. Compounded on top of other factors that put stress on a plumbing line, wipes that don’t break down effectively can push everything to a breaking point. This can happen just as easily for your home’s septic system as it can for a larger municipal system.

Better Safe Than Sorry

Are flushable wipes bad for plumbing? While companies will insist that their cleaning wipes actually are flushable, experts worldwide are still unhappy. Even though in some cases, they may be right on some level. Environmental and regulatory agencies point to demonstrated cases over the years of disposable wipes being found as the culprit in sewer failures, and enough lawsuits have arisen that it’s hard to deny the damage they can cause. In an ideal environment, flushable wipes may not be a threat. Unfortunately, plumbing is rarely that tidy. Aging pipes and infrastructure, as well as the presence of other almost-flushable materials, allows them to grow into a serious issue. When a blockage does occur, the costs of cleaning, repair, and further maintenance can be considerable. Overall, it’s wise to skip the “flushable” wipes and stick to toilet paper.

Get Help for Plumbing Woes

Even if you’re smart about what goes down the drain, mistakes still happen. Even if it works a thousand times, it’s only the one time it fails that you’ll remember. Sometimes, you get warning signs. Other times, a plumbing system that seems functional can suddenly fail from any number of factors. This is why businesses like Whipple Service Champions are available for emergency service. From wet wipe-induced blockages to busted pipes flooding the basement. When an emergency strikes, contact Whipple Service Champions to save the day.