Canada, U.S. waste-water groups join forces in battle against ‘flushable’ wipes

OTTAWA – Pleas from Canadian waste-water officials to federal and provincial politicians to crack down on so-called flushable wipes are falling on deaf ears.

It’s a municipal problem, so the refrain goes, and so the Canadian Water and Waste-water Association is joining forces with its American counterpart to take aim at the popular towelettes.

Municipalities in Canada and the U.S. say the wipes — a growth industry worth $6 billion a year — are causing costly clogs throughout North America.

In both the U.S. and Canada, manufacturers voluntarily test products for flushability and insist their wipes pass with flying colours, but federal laws don’t require third-party assessment or verification.

Both the CWWA and its U.S. sister organization are now pushing manufacturers to allow independent testing of their products, and to label them with more clarity.

Robert Haller, the association’s executive director, says the group is also exploring the creation of a Canadian standard for use of the term “flushable.”