Non-Flushable Products Reduction

Water New Zealand is a member of the International Water Services Flushability Group (IWSFG). This is a group of water associations, utilities, and professionals are seeking to provide clear guidance on what should and should not be flushed down the toilet to protect customers, wastewater systems, their workers, and the environment.

This objective is supported by Publicly Available Standards (PAS) documents setting out the test protocols and other information supporting and referenced in the standard.

This group has created an international PAS to determine the requirements of what is flushable. PAS (3) was published in July 2018.

PAS1: Criteria for Recognition as a Flushable Product

PAS2: Terms and Definitions

PAS3: Disintegration Test Methods - Slosh Box.

http://iwsfg.org/

As part of the national response Water New Zealand is seeing funding to assist with this project. To date 10 out of 67 entities have responded but more are always welcome. The resources these entities have provided are going towards:

  • Creating a joint Australia / New Zealand Flushability Standard based on PAS(1-3) and other documents.
  • Looking at having an independent test carried out on wipes currently available in New Zealand
  • Putting together a media communication toolbox to assist package

Background Information

Press release form May 2017 - Don't treat your toilet as a rubbish bin

Why it’s important NOT to flush wipes – important messages

Educational video produced by the Food and Grocery Council

Consumer information

TECHNICAL RESOURCES

CODE OF PRACTICE: Communicating Appropriate Disposal Pathways for Nonwoven Wipes to Protect Wastewater Systems

Blockage testing methodology

Report assessing the impacts of pulp loading from non-dispersible material on downstream sewer systems

May 2017 Water journal article outlining standards development initiatives

Thames Water launches wet wipe campaign; Stantec signs letter of intent to acquire Peter Brett Associates

LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB

Sydney Waters award winning customer engagement strategy for reducing wipes blockages

“Cant flush this” United Utilities wipe reduction rap video

“We three pees” Southern Waters sewer protection carol

ENQUIRIES

Enquiries can be directed to media@waternz.org.nz or technical@waternz.org.nz.