New Flushability Standards Coming Up Soon

Have you been flushing wet wipes down the toilet?

You would definitely want to stop it. Flushing wet wipes down the toilet can cause sewage to back up into your home and block the toilets. That’s not all.

Wet wipes block the sewerage system. Even though they might be labelled as flushable, wet wipes contribute to creating massive fatbergs. Fatbergs are formed by a combination of items like fats, grease, oil, tree roots, wet wipes and other objects that shouldn’t be flushed down the drains.

Fatbergs can be gigantic… a 40-tonne double-decker bus-sized fatberg was cleared from a London sewer in 2020. A 42-tonne fatberg was discovered by Yarra Valley Water workers in Melbourne. According to the Water Services Association of Australia, blockages caused by wet wipes cost the urban water industry over $15 million every year.

It can even be expensive for households as it would take specialised equipment to unblock the drains and may cost over $1000 in repairs.

Wet Wipes are not flushable

Even though wet wipes are labelled as flushable, they don’t disintegrate when flushed. Wet wipes have a binder which makes them sturdier than toilet paper. This also makes them hard to break down. Wet wipes are one reason why we have these massive fatbergs in the sewer network.

Fatbergs increased during the toilet paper shortage of 2020 as people started to rely on alternatives like paper towels and wet wipes.

Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) reported blockages of 20-60%, and Sydney Water reported a 22% increase in blockages. Urban Utilities attends to about 4000 blockages in the network every year which costs them about $1 million in maintenance costs.

New Flushability Standards

The new flushability standards are hoping to solve this problem. Currently, there is no way to regulate the products. The lack of regulation allows manufacturers to self-regulate. Firstly wet wipes do not disintegrate. Second, they can contain plastic which will end up in water or go into bio-solids.

Manufacturers and utility companies are working together to test products that can be used to build the new Australian standard. By mid-2022, wet wipes, paper towels, and other products will have the label “flushable”.

If they do not carry the label, they should be thrown in the waste and not flushed.

A flushable label will also guarantee that the product will have passed rigorous testing, meets the national standards, and will not damage the drains and sewer networks.

Standards Australia is working with a committee of experts to develop a flushability standard. DR AZ/NZS 5328 will outline the products suitable for flushing down the toilet and appropriate disposal labelling requirements. It will include the testing criteria for manufacturers and will help consumers protect the plumbing and sewer network. It is open for public comments until November 1, 2021.

What can the consumers do meanwhile?

• Only flush the 3Ps - Pee, Poo and Paper
• Schedule regular drain inspections from a licensed plumber

If you have a blocked drain or toilet or need an emergency plumber now, give us a call on 0488 801 008 or complete our online enquiry form.

Our plumber's service Sutherland Shire, Liverpool, St George and Canterbury Bankstown regions of Sydney. We can fix blocked drains using specialised techniques like water jetting, and pipe relining and can remove stubborn blockages easily.

References

• https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-31/qld-standard-fatbergs-clogging-sewerage-network/100418350
• https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-04/flushable-wipes-trial-qld-urban-utilities-test-fatbergs/11362634
• https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-25/fatbergs-blamed-for-blocking-brisbane-drains/10031030
• https://www.standards.org.au/news/to-flush-or-not-to-flush-new-standard-aims-to-give-an-answer
• https://utilitymagazine.com.au/new-standard-for-flushable-products-streamlines-criteria/
• https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/29/bus-sized-fatberg-cleared-from-london-sewer
• https://7news.com.au/business/water/huge-melbourne-fatberg-discovered-after-wet-wipes-and-tissues-flushed-c-974232
• https://www.wsaa.asn.au/sites/default/files/paragraphs/attachments/FAQ%20-%20Australian%20NZ%20Standard%2C%20Flushable%20Products.pdf
• https://www.pumpindustry.com.au/new-flushable-products-standard-to-prevent-pump-and-pipeline-blockages/
• https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/627079/fatberg-facts