‘Flushable’ Wipes May Not Be So Flushable

Makers of a common household commodity are under intense pressure to change how it is marketed and labeled after unexpected consequences. Flushable wipes from brands including Cottonelle, Wet Brand, Charmin, and Kirkland all have labeling that clearly state their flushable wipes are “flushable” and “sewer-and-septic-safe.”

However, many consumers that did flush their wipes down the toilet have had problems. Consumers around the country have complained that as a direct result of flushing their wipes down the toilet, their pipes suffered severe damage because the wipes don’t break down properly in water. This has resulted in clogs, back-ups, and even full septic failure for hundreds, if not thousands, of consumers nationwide.

Many of the affected consumers have filed flushable wipes lawsuits against the manufacturers in an effort to be compensated for damage resulting from major clogging and plumbing issues.

In addition, water treatment plants have even joined that fight, alleging that the material used to make the wipes does not dissolve properly in water over time, causing damage to their equipment and the need for upgrades. According to New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection, that city alone has spent over $18 million to have wipes removed from sewage treatment facilities.

The companies have defended their products, responding that they received the proper testing. When the companies didn’t produce any test results to support their claims, water treatment facilities did their own testing and found that the wipes did not break down in a reasonable period of time.

One of the legal issues is the lack of an industry standard definition for “flushable.” However, the Federal Trade Commission has requested data about the wipes from manufacturers, which could lead to a clarification.

Despite an unclear definition, these flushable wipes are advertised as biodegradable but after numerous third-party tests have shown, they do not break down as well as they claim. For some of the testing, the flushable wipes would stay intact for over 10 minutes of continuous running water. Some did not disintegrate at all.

The result of the damage and the questionable advertising claims could be a flushable wipes class action lawsuit. In a flushable wipes class action lawsuit, a group of plaintiffs could band together to file one large lawsuit against a defendant making similar allegations.

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.