Flushable wipes myths: what Australians need to know

Short answer: unless a wipe carries the official flushable symbol and says it complies with AS/NZS 5328, it goes in the bin. Australian water utilities have been saying the same thing for years: only flush the three Ps. Pee, poo and (toilet) paper.

The rest of this post busts the myths that keep wipes heading for the loo, then covers the easy swaps. No guilt trip. Just the facts and a bin with a lid.

Myth 1: “Flushable” on the pack means it breaks down like toilet paper

Toilet paper is designed to fall apart in water within moments. Most wipes are designed to do the opposite: stay strong while you scrub. That strength doesn’t switch off when you press the button.

For years there was no agreed Australian definition of “flushable”, so the word could mean little more than “it will leave the bowl”. That changed in 2022 when Standards Australia published AS/NZS 5328 Flushable Products. To use the flushable symbol under the standard, a product has to pass six tests, and the Australian Water Association notes that includes breaking into small pieces within an hour and containing no plastic.

The catch: the standard is voluntary. A pack can still say “flushable” without the symbol. So the useful question isn’t “does it say flushable?” but “does it carry the AS/NZS 5328 symbol?” Sydney Water’s guidance is exactly that: flush a wipe only if the pack shows the flushable icon and states compliance with AS/NZS 5328:2022. Otherwise, bin it. That goes for baby wipes, makeup wipes and cleaning wipes alike.

Myth 2: Biodegradable means flushable

Different words, different promises. “Biodegradable” is about microbes breaking a material down eventually, under the right conditions. “Flushable” is about falling apart fast enough to get through household pipes, pumps and treatment screens without snagging. A sewer gives a wipe hours, not months.

Researchers at Cardiff University put this to the test. Their 2023 review, “Do flushed biodegradable wet wipes really degrade?” in Science of the Total Environment, found that more than half of the biodegradable and flushable wipes examined mixed cellulose with poorly degradable synthetic fibres, and concluded that most flushed biodegradable wipes don’t really degrade. We cover this in more depth in are biodegradable wipes flushable?

Myth 3: If it leaves the bowl, the problem’s solved

Out of sight isn’t out of the system. Wipes travel along household pipes and into the sewer, where they tangle with fats, oils and hair. That’s how fatbergs start.

The numbers from Australian utilities are not small:

• Sydney Water says non-flushable wet wipes contribute to 75% of blockages.
• The Water Services Association of Australia estimates wet wipe blockages cost the urban water industry more than $15 million a year, according to Yarra Valley Water.
• South East Water crews cleared around 4,700 blockages in 2021-22, at a cost of more than $1.4 million.

Those costs end up in everyone’s water bills. And if the blockage is in the pipe between your house and the sewer main, the plumber’s bill is usually yours.

Myth 4: The ACCC already sorted this out

Partly. The ACCC has taken flushable claims to court more than once. In 2018 the Federal Court ordered a manufacturer to pay $700,000 in penalties after ACCC action over toilet-cleaning wipes marketed as breaking down like toilet paper.

The ACCC’s case against Kimberly-Clark went the other way. The Federal Court found the company hadn’t made false or misleading flushable claims, and in June 2020 the Full Federal Court dismissed the ACCC’s appeal. The court noted that blockages are a growing problem and suggested standards or legislation could govern what gets marketed as flushable. Two years later, AS/NZS 5328 arrived.

The takeaway isn’t that one product is good and another is bad. It’s that the courts weren’t the fix. The standard is, and it’s voluntary, so the symbol is what to look for.

Myth 5: One wipe won’t hurt

One wipe probably won’t block your pipes today. But every blockage starts with one, and wipes snag on each other, on tree roots and on rough joints in older pipework. If you’re on a septic system, the risk is closer to home: wipes don’t break down in the tank and take up space the bacteria need.

The easy swaps

You don’t need to overhaul your bathroom. A few small changes do most of the work.

• Put a small lidded bin next to every toilet. Most flushed wipes are flushed because the bin wasn’t handy. Make binning as easy as flushing.
• Use a dry wipe you add water to. ZERO Baby Wipes are dry wipes made from timber viscose (wood pulp). Just add water. Because they’re dry, there are no preservatives or fragrance, and they’re OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 Class 1 certified, the strictest class, for baby articles. They’re reusable and machine washable, so one wipe can do more than one job. When it’s done, it goes in the bin, never the loo.
• Same idea for makeup and cleaning. ZERO Makeup Wipes and ZERO Cleaning Wipes are the same dry, reusable format. Use, wash, reuse, then bin.
• Toilet paper plus a splash of water. Dampened toilet paper is still toilet paper, so it’s one of the three Ps.
• A bidet seat or attachment. Some households like them; worth a look if you own your place.
• Line the bathroom bin. A certified home compostable ZERO Nappy Waste Bag makes a handy liner for the little bathroom bin, and for nappy changes too.

If a wipe has already caused a blockage

1. Stop flushing. More water just pushes the problem back up.
2. Try a plunger on the affected toilet or drain.
3. Skip chemical drain cleaners. They rarely shift wipes and can complicate the plumber’s job.
4. Call a licensed plumber if it doesn’t clear. If neighbours are affected too, or the problem looks like it’s in the main, contact your water utility.

FAQ

Can I flush any wipe in Australia?
Only one that carries the official flushable symbol and states compliance with AS/NZS 5328. Everything else goes in the bin.

Can I flush ZERO wipes?
No. ZERO wipes are dry, reusable wipes made to be washed and used again. When they’re done, bin them.

What about wipes labelled biodegradable or plant-based?
Neither word means flushable. Look for the AS/NZS 5328 symbol; no symbol, no flush.

Is it different if I’m on a septic tank?
Be even stricter. Stick to the three Ps.

Want the evidence behind all this? Read what the testing says about flushable wipes, or compare cloth wipes vs disposable wipes.