A local manufacturer has become the first Australian company to produce a certified flushable wet wipe, with its maiden batch now hitting Foodland’s shelves – providing consumers with a flush-friendly alternative to help reduce the impact of wet wipes on the environment and essential infrastructure.
In Adelaide between 2022-23, 1,155 blockages were caused by wet wipes across Adelaide in 2022-23, costing SA Water $2 million to redirect ‘unflushable’ materials – such as wet wipes – from pipes, pump stations and wastewater treatment plants to landfill.
Water utilities across Australia and the globe continue to grapple with the impact of traditional wet wipes, which don’t break down like toilet paper and clog up sewerage networks.
Woodville North based company, The Hygiene Co., are the makers behind the flushable wet wipes, which have undergone seven stages of testing as part of their certification process, including clearing plumbing lines and breaking apart readily.
Made with wood pulp, the new wipes are part of the company’s stable of plastic-free cleaning and hygiene products under their CleanLIFE brand.
Three of the CleanLIFE products are certified as flushable and feature a ‘certified to flush’ symbol on its packaging, with the brand’s stronger textured cleaning range not intended to be flushable.