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NACWA issued a joint press release today along with INDA (the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry), the Water Environment Federation (WEF), and the American Public Works Association (APWA) stating that the four associations have agreed to work together to reduce the burden of disposable products in the wastewater system. Wipes and other non-dispersible products that are frequently flushed into the sewer system create expensive problems for utilities, such as clogged pumps, and many utilities are finding that the problems and costs are increasing as more types of wipes are introduced to the market and end up in their collection and treatment systems. This unnecessary expense has generated significant press attention recently, including in USA Today and a front-page article in the Washington Post. The four associations met in July and discussed strategies for reducing the inappropriate flushing of wipes and other products. This joint press release represents the first action that the associations planned to address the issue.

The next action planned by the associations is an October 9 session at WEFTEC, “Wipe Out: Reducing the Burden of Wipes in the Pipes,” 1:30-5:00 pm in Room S406b, McCormick Place, in Chicago, Illinois. Representatives from utilities and the associations will participate in the discussion, which will cover utility efforts to test products, quantify the costs of clogs, and educate consumers, as well as the as-yet unsuccessful efforts to pass state legislation on product labeling. The 3rd Edition Guidance Document for Assessing the Flushability of Nonwoven Disposable Products developed by INDA and its European counterpart, EDANA, will also be discussed.

Going forward, NACWA and the other associations plan to put together a technical working group that will evaluate the effectiveness of the current flushability guidelines for determining whether products are safe for the sewers and determine if changes can be made to improve the existing guidelines or if new guidelines are needed. While wipes that are labeled “flushable” but do not easily break apart in the sewers were the initial focus of utilities, NACWA plans to address all types of products that commonly cause problems in sewer systems, such as paper towels. NACWA will work with manufacturers and retailers of these other products to improve labeling and incorporate the “Do Not Flush” logo developed by INDA/EDANA.

Consumer education will continue to be necessary to ensure that only human waste and truly dispersible products are flushed, and that substances such as fats, oils, and greases (FOG) are not poured down the drain. FOG often combines with wipes and other non-dispersible products to clog sewer system, as seen recently with the 15-ton so-called “fatberg” in London.

Further information on wipes and other non-dispersible problems can be found on NACWA’s webpage, www.nacwa.org/flushables. NACWA members who have problems with these types of products or who would like further information should contact Cynthia Finley at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .