Senators Susan Collins and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the bipartisan Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act, a bill to address health, ecosystem, and wastewater infrastructure concerns caused by the flushing of non-flushable wet wipes.
鈥淢any consumers who use wet wipes are unaware that flushing these products creates significant problems for plumbing, wastewater treatment equipment, and septic systems,鈥� said Senator Collins.鈥淭his bipartisan legislation would require manufacturers to label non-flushable wet wipes, providing consumers with the information they need to safely dispose of them, and helping prevent homeowners and taxpayers from having to pay for expensive repairs.鈥�
鈥淲hen non-flushable wipes are sent through our sewage systems, they plug the pipes. The resulting backups of sewage are not a pretty picture,鈥� said Senator Merkley. 鈥淎ccurately labelling wipes and other products as 鈥榥on-flushable鈥� is a necessary step to ensure consumers appropriately dispose of their waste. Doing so will keep our water clean and our wastewater infrastructure safe and efficient.鈥�
The WIPPES Act addresses the pervasive, but ultimately preventable, problem of the flushing of non-flushable wet wipes by establishing 鈥淒o Not Flush鈥� labeling requirements for products such as baby wipes, household wipes, disinfecting wipes, and personal care wipes. Many of these wipes are composed of manufactured plastic fibers or other strong fibers, and while these products are not marketed as flushable, consumers frequently flush them into sewer systems as a means of disposal. Due to strong fibers, these types of wipes do not break down as they travel through the sewer systems. Instead, the wipes become magnets attracting fats, oils, and grease that become obstructions in sewerage systems pipes. These masses clog pumps, block sewer collection systems, and jam motors, leading to sewage backups and treatment equipment failures.
The WIPPES Act is endorsed by the American Public Works Association, American Rivers, the Association of Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA), the Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products, Consumer Healthcare Products Association, ISSA (the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association), National Association of Clean Water Agencies, National Rural Water Association, National Stewardship Action Council, the Coalition for Clean Water, and the Water Environment Federation.
鈥淎merican Rivers Action Fund endorses the Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act to address the serious threat that wipes pose to our wastewater systems. Unlike ordinary trash, wipes clog treatment plants, leading to costly shutdowns and increasing the overall expense of water treatment. Each year, millions of tons of debris end up in our waterways鈥攋eopardizing water quality and impacting recreation in our communities. We urge Congress to support this bipartisan bill to tackle this growing infrastructure crisis,鈥� said Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of the American Rivers Action Fund.
鈥淚NDA is proud to continue its support for the WIPPES Act, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives by an overwhelming bipartisan margin in 2024. The industry is committed to responsibly managing wipe products that are not designed to be flushable, protecting public infrastructure and the environment,鈥� said INDA President Tony Fragnito. 鈥淭he passage of this important legislation will have positive impacts on the environment, wastewater agencies, consumers, and manufacturers by mandating uniform 鈥楧o Not Flush鈥� labeling for covered products. This clear visual symbol, coupled with robust consumer education programs, are raising awareness about the proper disposal of these products. INDA applauds the sponsor鈥檚 vision to address this issue in a comprehensive and meaningful way. We look forward to our continued collaboration with the wastewater sector and other stakeholders to support this bill鈥檚 swift passage in Congress.鈥�
鈥淲e are thrilled to have bi-partisan support to make this 鈥渢ruth in labeling鈥� law the standard nationally.聽 When labels say 鈥渇lushable鈥� people believe it, they flush them, then have expensive clogs and added stress in their lives that is totally avoidable with standardized truthful labeling,鈥� said Heidi Sanborn, Executive Director of the National Stewardship Action Council.