Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

2019-02-28

EU nations adopt INDA/EDANA flushability guidelines

Yarn Expo Spring 2019 will see a significant increase in exhibitors at the Fancy Yarn Zone, with 125 exhibitors now set to display their latest fancy yarn collections. Yarn Expo consistently offers new options at each edition, with a wide array of yarn and fibre products, from fancy yarn to high-quality wool yarn, cotton, chemical fibres and many more. Over 460 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions will join the fair, including China, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and newcomer country Egypt.

Industry guidelines on flushability proven effective

These guidelines are proven to be effective. A 2017 Water UK study of sewer blockages found that less than 1% of the blockage material was identified as products designed to be flushed.

In 2015 Belgium adopted and put into law the previous Guidance Document provisions (GD3) and is favourably inclined toward enhancing those requirements with adoption of GD4 provisions.

More recently, the Spanish standard UNE 149002 was released January 31, 2019, establishing criteria required to label a product as “flushable.” Those criteria include the key disintegration/dispersion test method of GD4 as well as the pass/fail limits of GD4. Additionally, for wipes not marketed as “flushable” but likely to be inadvertently disposed of in the toilet, such as baby wipes and disinfecting wipes, labelling practices that include the INDA/EDANA “Do Not Flush” symbol are prescribed.

“International acceptances of GD4 are noteworthy as the adoptions included the approval of the wastewater sector in each country, indicating the desire to achieve consensus and therefore strength and unity in addressing the larger issue of developing public awareness and support for proper disposal of the various types of wet wipes on the market, “said Dave Rousse, President of INDA.

“Other countries in Europe are in the process of adopting these standards, indicating a growing consensus that, accompanied with the prescribed labelling provisions, they ensure proper protection for wastewater systems,” said Pierre Wiertz, General Manager, EDANA.

Rousse and Wiertz believe GD4 acceptance within the wastewater and regulatory sectors in these countries provides important validation that these test methods, pass/fail criteria, and “Do Not Flush” labelling practices are good for citizens and local wastewater treatment facilities.