Major Wipes Manufacturer Kimberly-Clark Agrees to Meet Flushability Specifications
As part of a settlement agreement in a class action lawsuit in South Carolina, Kimberley-Clark, one of the largest flushable wipes manufacturers in North America, has agreed to meet the IWSFG flushability specifications for all of their products that are marketed as “flushable” by May 1, 2022. The IWSFG standards were developed by an international group of wastewater utilities, and require wipes to go through a series of agitation tests and ultimately meet a threshold of 80% disintegration. Kimberley-Clark has also agreed to mandatory “Do Not Flush” labeling provisions based on legislation passed in the state of Washington. These provisions are less stringent than what has been proposed in CASAs sponsored legislation, AB 818, but are consistent with our policy goals. There are several other defendants in the class action who have not reached a settlement, but this is a major victory in the fight against wipes. Here is a link to the settlement agreement.  There will be an opportunity for utilities to review and comment on the settlement in the coming weeks and CASA will notify our members when we have those details. Please contact Jessica Gauger with any questions.

 

Wipes in the News
A nasty pandemic problem: More flushed wipes are clogging pipes, sending sewage into homes