The Responsible Flushing Alliance has welcomed Andritz and Dude Products as its newest Board of Directors members. The addition of these two innovators to the organization brings in their distinct expertise and perspectives on the issue of responsible flushing and expands the Alliance’s efforts to educate consumers on smart flushing habits.

The Responsible Flushing Alliance is an independent 501(c)(6) organization dedicated educating consumers on keeping their homes and communities healthy by knowing what not to flush and other best practices through its #FlushSmart campaigns. With the appointments of Andritz and Dude Products, there are now 16 Board of Directors, where founding member companies include: Albaad, Essity, First Quality, Georgia Pacific, Johnson & Johnson, Jacob Holm, Kelheim Fibres, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Nehemiah Manufacturing, Nice-Pak, Procter & Gamble, Rockline Industries, Sellars Nonwovens and Suominen Corp.

“Andritz is a leading company in the design and manufacture of nonwoven lines, serving the wipes industry, so sustainability has always been an integrated part of our corporate policy,” says Andreas Lukas, senior vice president of Andritz Nonwoven. “By joining the Alliance, we will contribute to the future of this industry by providing sustainable process solutions. Joining the Responsible Flushing Alliance is a part of the 'We Care' initiative launched by Andritz earlier this month.”

“We Care” takes a multi-dimensional, comprehensive, and practically oriented approach toward sustainability. Andritz has set itself ambitious goals for each of the focus topics – Environment (E), Social (S), and Governance (G) principles – and these goals are aimed at making the business activities of ANDRITZ and its stakeholders more sustainable.

Dude Products, launched in 2012 after receiving startup investment funding on ABC’s Shark Tank, manufactures flush-friendly wipes for men that can be found in over 12,000 stores.

“From the start, flushability has been as much of a priority for Dude Products as a sense of humor. We’ve spent the past decade developing a wipe that works, but is also flush-friendly, because consumers shouldn’t have to choose between cleanliness and an unclogged toilet,” says Sean Riley, chief executive dude and president, Dude Products. “Our mission is to keep having fun, build great products, and support consumers anyway we can, which is why we’re excited to join the Responsible Flushing Alliance and work with the industry on the #FlushSmart educational campaign."

Lara Wyss, president of the Responsible Flushing Alliance, says that the addition of these two members and the continued growth of the Alliance demonstrates how the organization is fulfilling an unmet need in the wipes industry: “Consumers want to do the right thing for their community and the environment, but there is often confusion about what should and should not be flushed, resulting in problems ranging from clogs in their home to clogs in our wastewater systems, which can lead to serious damage. The impact is real and far-reaching, and the need for smart flushing education is more apparent than ever before.”

The American Society of Civil Engineers Society estimates that in 2019 American utilities spent $3 billion in replacing sewer pipes and lines but said that $84 billion was what probably should have been spent. Afterall, nearly two-thirds of America’s 800,000 miles of sewers were built before 1960, according to the American Water Works Association, which estimates restoring the sewer pipes in the U.S. would cost more than $1 trillion. It is also estimated that U.S. municipalities spend at least $1 billion annually on maintenance to remove clogs caused by non-flushable wipes. Forensic analysis studies show that 98% of materials that make up sewer clogs are non-flushable items, such as baby wipes, paper towels, feminine hygiene products and more.

“Companies all across the industry, including our newest members Andritz and Dude Products, want to help spread knowledge regarding responsible disposal practices. Consumer education is a crucial part of RFA’s mission to build real, long-term solutions,” Wyss says.

The Responsible Flushing Alliance officially kicked off its consumer education efforts in 2021 with its #FlushSmart campaign. The campaign is a national effort to promote awareness of responsible flushing habits, with an emphasis on instructing consumers to look for the “Do Not Flush” symbol on product packaging and labeling to identify materials that should not be flushed down the toilet.