Water Sector News
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NEW OREGON LAW TAKES A SWIPE AT 'FLUSHABLE' WIPES
SALEM, Ore. — Oregon will become the second state in the US to require that disposable wipes be labeled with "Do Not Flush," a triumph for water district officials and local governments in the state.
While many wipes are marketed as "flushable" these days, the people that deal with the end result say that these products have been wreaking havoc on sewer and wastewater systems throughout the state of Oregon.
“The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already growing problem caused by a glut of products marketed as flushable, when in fact they were clogging and damaging residential and community pipes,” said Susie Smith, director of the Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies. “We are grateful to the cities, agencies and legislators who championed this common-sense requirement.”
House Bill 2344 was championed by Smith's group, the League of Oregon Cities, and the Special Districts Association of Oregon. Together, they asked that a bill be introduced due to the ongoing challenges and rising costs associated with wipes and related products that are flushed down the toilet — resulting in sewer backups, overflows, damage to pumps and wastewater equipment.