The lawsuit says that as a result of sewer systems becoming clogged, expensive repairs are needed. The class-action lawsuit names six makers of wet wipes, and it was filed on Thursday in federal court.
The lawsuit says the wipes get caught in the bar screen because they don’t degrade like toilet paper. The lawsuit continues to say this leads to blocking the passage of wastewater, which causes the system to shut down. This requires manual removal.
Flushable wipes need to hold up under the pressure of scrubbing after being soaked in water, as well as propylene glycol lotion for extended periods of time. The suit continued to say the wipes don’t break down when they are flushed because of the need to maintain wet strength.
Industry representatives spoke out and said wipes that don’t claim to be flushable are being flushed by consumers. Kimberly-Clark, one of the companies being sued, said it invested in technologies that deliver wipes that are compatible with wasterwater systems. The company said this before the lawsuit was brought forward.
The company didn’t comment on the lawsuit Friday and they referred questions to the president of the trade group Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, Dave Rousse. Rousse said if sewer problems are occurring, then it is because non-flushable wipes are not being flushed appropriately.