Dr. Matthew Tipper, Business Director, Nonwovens Innovation & Research Institute Limited (NIRI), UK09.12.18
To be considered flushable, wet wipes need to be compatible with disposal in wastewater systems. This is considered to include wipes not only clearing the toilet and immediate drain pipes but also passing wastewater conveyance systems and being processed in wastewater treatment systems so that they are unrecognizable in the final effluent.
The fourth edition of the INDA/EDANA guidelines (GD4), published in May 2018, details a technical protocol for assessing the flushability of wipes, as well as a label code of practice. To comply with the flushability test protocols, the composition of wet wipes should be carefully considered. The fibers that make up the wipe substrate will have a direct influence on the biodegradation performance, both aerobic and anaerobic as well as the buoyancy (settling) and toilet and drain-line clearance performance.
Disintegration (dispersibility) is a key property of flushable wipes. The ability of a wipe to break up helps to:
The fourth edition of the INDA/EDANA guidelines (GD4), published in May 2018, details a technical protocol for assessing the flushability of wipes, as well as a label code of practice. To comply with the flushability test protocols, the composition of wet wipes should be carefully considered. The fibers that make up the wipe substrate will have a direct influence on the biodegradation performance, both aerobic and anaerobic as well as the buoyancy (settling) and toilet and drain-line clearance performance.
Disintegration (dispersibility) is a key property of flushable wipes. The ability of a wipe to break up helps to:
- Prevent blockages if wipes become snagged on pipework.
- Enable wipes to pass screens that remove solids at the entry of wastewater treatment plants.
- Prevent
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