You may remember our blog post from a couple of months ago about the “fatberg” in the London sewers – caused in part by “flushable” wipes. Well, CBSNews has also recently reported about the havoc that those wipes are causing to U.S. sewer systems. Many of these wipes are being marketed as flushable when they may not actually be. Why is this a concern? Because those wipes don’t break down effectively and then clog up sewer systems, which causes millions of dollars of repair to wastewater utilities. Hence, the “fatberg”.

This problem is not just caused by wipes but by other products marked as flushable as well, such as feminine care products and paper towels. Current talk is centering on how to better label those “flushable” products, but consumers can take action right now to ensure our sewer systems aren’t becoming clogged. When in doubt, don’t flush it - put it in the trash instead!