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IRISH RESEARCHERS HAVE found that half of wet wipe brands analysed as part of a study into pollution contained microplastic fibres despite being labelled as “flushable”.
The study, carried out by researchers from Earth and Ocean Sciences and the Ryan Institute at NUI Galway, examined how wet wipes and sanitary towels are contributing to amount of plastic in the ocean.
It discovered that sediments near a wastewater treatment plant were consistently strewn with high levels of white microplastic fibres similar to those found in wet wipes and sanitary towels.
The location, close to Mutton Island near Galway city, contained 6083 microplastic fibres per kilogram of sediment.
The findings compared to lower levels in rural areas, such as Bell Harbour in Co Clare (1627 microplastic fibres per kg of sediment) and Bellacragher (316 microplastic fibres per kg of sediment).
The study noted that 91% of the microplastic fibres at Mutton Island were “likely derived” from wet wipes and sanitary towels.
The head of the study, Dr Liam Morrison, said the public needed to be more aware of microplastic pollution in the environment, in order to help shift human behaviour away from the disposal of sanitary products down the toilet.
“Covid-19 may have brought its own challenges for the oceans including the increased use of disinfectant wipes during the pandemic which potentially may end up as microplastic fibres in the sea,” he said.
“It is widely known that microplastics can act as vectors for contaminants including bacteria and viruses and are potentially harmful for public health and marine life.”
Meanwhile, the researchers also found that 50% of the wipes labelled “flushable” in their study contained microplastics.
Samples of wipes and sanitary towels collected from the intertidal zone near Mutton Island following a heavy rainfall event mostly comprised the plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
Only a quarter of the samples had a mix of PET and cellulose, while over 80% of the wipes in the shoreline waste were identified as non-flushable due to their polymer composition.
The researchers suggested this resulted from a lack of regulation for hygiene and sanitary products, which has led to a failure by companies to identify the plastic composition of these products.
The study has been published in the international journal Water Research and was co-authored Morrison, NUI Galway PhD student Ana Mendes and Maynooth University graduate Oisín Ó Briain.
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Anyone with a bit of sense would know they are not flushable. Why are they being allowed produce and label them as flushable?
@Marie Agnew: why are they allowed to produce them with microplastics in the first place
@Marie Agnew: Its like littering some people just done think or care.
@Marie Agnew: there are two types of wipes on the market.
Wet wipes for changing nappies and the like and toilet wipes for toddlers.
I use them for my three toddlers.
It says they are flushable.
They are much weaker than than wet wipes or water wipes and fall apart very easily.
@Philip King ⚡️: they should not be flushed.. ..
@Patricia O’Reilly: they are toilet wipes.
There is a difference, look into it.
Plus have you ever wiped a toddlers butt with toilet paper. It hurts them.
Whatever about flushing the wet wipes, people are following manufacturer’s instructions but whoever is flushing sanitary towels needs a good dose of cop on. There is no excuse for that.
@Sinead Boland: It wasn’t me.
@Sinead Boland: seriously this part is disgusting, I agree but there are so many people with not an ounce of sense, or logic. They don’t see the consequences, therefore they don’t exist… crazy.
All of these wipes should be banned and there should be a major public awareness campaign done about how harmful they are. As someone who works in the water treatment industry, I know first hand that they are the single biggest cause of breakdowns and pollution. They must cost the tax payer millions per year. But I suppose its hard to get people to stop flushing them when they won’t even stop flushing sanitary products and condoms.
@jl: do local councils cover storm water drains with big net type things? I see them in Australian cities and they work great at capturing rubbish before it gets to rivers etc. The council has to empty them every now & again but they are designed to be easy to maintain.
@DCforChange: that would mean they’d have to do a bit of work. Are you having a laugh?
@jl: there’s a trade-off between biodegradable or plastic fibre wet wipes. The biodegradable requiring germicides to stop it from degrading. The wet wipe marketed misleadingly as the ‘purest wetwipe’ is of course plastic. Best would be for the consumer to wet their own paper, if they want to avoid wiping the baby’s ass w chemicals. Plastic fibre wipes have their place as they won’t break apart or turn to mush; just need to be binned.
@DCforChange: There is primary screening in all treatment plants but they can only remove items down to about 10mm. Anything smaller such as ground up or partially degraded wipes get through. They are ground up going through pumps and eventually will clog any pump no matter how powerful
I’ve said this to people for years.
The issue I have is an ethical one. Lidl and Aldi have theirs produced in Israel. There children are brutalised, imprisoned and killed simply for their race. I buy any that aren’t produced there. Aldi have actually removed country of origin from the packs.
Whether they contain microplastics or not they shouldn’t be flushed. Combined with things like food and cooking oil they form ‘fatbergs’. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/29/bus-sized-fatberg-cleared-from-london-sewer
Only wetwipe’s flush wetwipes
Why buy them anyway? They, by dint of the chemicals they contain, are very harmful to the sensitive areas in which they are used. Many a person see resolution of problems in their intimate bits once they stop using them.
Sisters drains were blocked years ago, called the plumber out, first thing he asked her was “do you flush baby wipes” she said yes and he said that’s what it is they don’t flush away, when he unblocked it she said it was a mountain of baby wipes blocking sewer drain, hasn’t flushed them since, hasn’t had blocked toilets since? That’s was 15/20 years ago
ah shite..I thought it was the nappies blocking the downstairs bog…
have your say