PIPES Act Introduced in House
Last week, Representatives Lisa McClain (R-MI) and Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) introduced the “Protecting Infrastructure and Promoting Environmental Stewardship Act” (PIPES Act, H.R. 6591) to codify a flushability certification process for the marketing of single-use “flushable” wet wipes. The PIPES Act is complementary to the WIPPES Act (HR 4602) that requires wipes manufacturers to label synthetic wet wipes as “Do Not Flush.” Together, the two bills holistically address the problem of the flushing of single-use wet wipes. Over the past year, CASA assisted McClain and Lowenthal’s offices with the development of both the PIPES Act and WIPPES Act. The press release for the PIPES Act and legislative text are available here.

CASA is urging agencies to express support for the legislation to Representatives Lowenthal and McClain, as well as reach out to their local Congressional representatives to request they support the PIPES Act and WIPPES Act. CASA is providing template letters for our membership to use to send to congressional offices. The template letter of support to Representatives McClain and Lowenthal is available here. The template letter requesting CASA agencies’ own Congressional representatives support the two bills is available here.  CASA would be happy to assist in connecting your agency with your local representative if needed. Letters should be directed to Representatives Lowenthal and McClain (contact info is in the template letter), and copies should also be sent to your local Representatives as well with the request that they support the PIPES and WIPPES Acts. Thank you for your support on this important federal legislation! Please contact Sarah Sapirstien or Jessica Gauger with any questions.

The PIPES Act would codify the International Water Services Flushability Group’s “(PAS)101: 2020 Criteria for Recognition as a Flushable Product” and require wipes manufacturers to demonstrate and certify with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) that their wipes product(s) comply with the criteria to be able to market the wipes as “flushable” and/or “sewer and septic safe.” The bill also allows for USEPA to bring civil penalties upon a wipes manufacturer that fails to comply at $25,000 per day of violation and, or $500,000 for a single violation.