The Shocking Truth About Flushable Wet Wipes: Why They’re Destroying Your Toilet and the Environment

Modern people value living quality, and more and more people are using wet wipes to clean intimate areas after using the toilet. However, you might not know that these so-called “flushable” wet wipes can actually pose hidden dangers. They can potentially cause toilet blockages and even severe damage to public sewage systems.

Are “Flushable Wet Wipes” Really Flushable?

The reason people mistakenly believe that “flushable wet wipes” can be safely flushed down the toilet is due to the “flushable” label on the product name. However, there is no official standard defining what constitutes a “flushable wet wipe.” In other words, the term “flushable” is simply a self-defined standard by wet wipe manufacturers that holds no constraint.

Due to the lack of strict regulation, consumers have no way of knowing whether the “flushable” claim on the product is true or false. Even if the wet wipe can successfully flush out of a household, it may still cause blockages in a city’s sewage system. Therefore, instead of trusting the label on the packaging, it’s better to understand the differences in performance between wet wipes and toilet paper in plumbing systems to truly differentiate which products are convenient and which are genuinely “flushable.”

Toilet Paper vs. Wet Wipes

Toilet paper breaks down quickly into small fragments when it comes into contact with water and dissolves completely in a short amount of time. However, wet wipes can pass through household plumbing systems intact and flow into a city’s sewage system. This inability to effectively break down can lead to household plumbing blockages and the formation of massive clogs in city sewage systems, which can cause overflows and reduce the filtering capacity of wastewater treatment systems.

A study in Ireland even found that 50% of “flushable wet wipes” contain polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a synthetic polymer that slows down the decomposition process. Additionally, “flushable wet wipes” and regular wet wipes are also one of the main sources of microplastic accumulation in waterways and oceans.

What Can Be Safely Flushed Down the Toilet?

Many people treat toilets like garbage cans, flushing various items down them, but this can lead to pipe blockages and expensive repair costs.

Since “flushable wet wipes” pose a threat to both households and city sewage systems, and microplastics harm marine life, it is clear that “flushable wet wipes” should not be flushed down the toilet. Other common items, such as paper towels, feminine hygiene products, contraceptives, cooking oils and fats, and household waste (like paint) should also not be flushed down the toilet.

To prevent clogs and further damage to household plumbing systems, remember that only human waste and toilet paper should be flushed down the toilet. Furthermore, “flushable wet wipes” should not be recycled and should be disposed of in the trash properly.