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Canada and America are moving toward regulating marketing of “flushable” wipes and setting industry standards for these products, which many individual consumers and wastewater experts allege cause a lot of problems.
Ontario wastewater expert Barry Orr is one Canadian researcher who is spearheading the International Standards Organization’s efforts to outline and enforce flushable wipe standards. He, along with other researchers, is developing flushability tests to vet the marketed sewer and septic safe characteristics of flushable wipe products being sold in North America.
While Canada is leading the charge in regulating the marketing and sale of flushable wipes to better improve water waste, the United States is also addressing this issue, including by pursuing false advertising litigation.
Last month, in Cambridge, Minn., 20,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into a local river. This sewage disaster was allegedly caused by personal hygiene wipes (marketed as flushable) backing up the wastewater treatment facility. Large incidents like this, as well as domestic plumbing issues, have brought media and legal attention to the potential sewage and environmental problems flushable wipes can create.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has been investigating baby wipe and adult hygienic wipe manufacturers’ claims of their products’ flushability. Additionally, more and more consumers who have experienced home plumbing problems allegedly as a result of their use of these personal wipe products are filing flushable wipe lawsuits.
One California consumer went as far as filing a flushable wipes class action lawsuit against Kimberly Clark, the manufacturer of Cottenelle Fresh Care personal wipes, who alleges that the company markets their product as safe to flush, when they are, in fact, not. She seeks to represent herself and a Class of consumers who paid a premium to buy these flushable wipes and who may have experienced plumbing problems as a result.
With these concerted efforts by both American and Canadian individuals and entities, it seems that flushable wipe producers will be held accountable for their product marketing.
Flushable Wipes False Advertising and Misrepresentation
Every year, wet wipe manufacturers reap $6 billion in the sale of their flushable and non-flushable wet wipes with an increasing profit margin of 5 to 6 percent every year. The ever-increasing popularity of these wet wipe or personal wipe products is the versatility of use, from cleaning dirty diapers to adult personal hygiene.
However, while flushable wipes are sold at higher prices because of their supposed safe toilet disposal, many consumers allege that flushable wipes do not immediately disintegrate after they are flushed. According to a published 2013 report, four distinct flushable wipe brands were tested for flushability by putting each in a stand mixer. It took more than 10 minutes on average to break down the various flushable wipes into smaller pieces. Since this strong churning is not produced by the average toilet, this study allegedly demonstrates the lack of flushability in these personal wipe products.
Some familiar brand flushable wipe products named in various lawsuits may include:
- up & up flushable wipes by Target
- Kandoo flushable wipes by Pampers
- Charmin Freshmates
- Cottonelle flushable wipes
- Wet Ones flushable wipes
- Equate flushable wipes by Wal-Mart
- Walgreens flushable wipes
- Total Home flushable wipes by CVS
- Scott flushable wipes
As a result of the misrepresentation, false advertisement, and the alleged plumbing and sewer damages caused by flushable wet wipes, many individuals are pursuing flushable wipe class action lawsuits.
Join a Free Flushable Wipes Class Action Lawsuit Investigation
If you purchased flushable adult wipes, baby wipes or toddler wipes, you may be able to join a free class action lawsuit investigation.
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