Disposable wipes like these would have to be relabeled to include "non-flushable" or "do not flush" under a new bill in the Michigan Legislature.

Disposable wipes like these would have to be relabeled to include "non-flushable" or "do not flush" under a new bill in the Michigan Legislature.

LANSING, Mich. (WJRT) - Cleaning and sanitary wipes marketed as flushable actually aren't and never should go down the toilet, according to a Michigan lawmaker.

Republican State Rep. Paula Hornberger announced a bill Wednesday that would require all wipes sold in Michigan to display "do not flush" or "non-flushable" prominently on the packaging.

Improperly flushed wipes have been blamed for blocking sewer pipes, which can cause sewage backups into homes, and damaging wastewater treatment infrastructure.

“This growing problem poses a serious threat to municipal wastewater infrastructure systems, household plumbing, and public health,” Hornberger said. “This common-sense solution is long overdue. It’s time to properly label packaging to mitigate the improper flushing of disposable wipes.”

Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller said a pumping station in Clinton Township accumulates about 4,000 pounds of disposable wipes every week. That is quadruple the amount seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s a large and troubling increase,” Miller said. “Eventually it will cost municipalities hundreds of millions of dollars to deal with the havoc wreaked on municipal sewage systems and pump stations."

Hornberger said Oregon, Illinois, California and Washington already have similar laws requiring disposable wipes to be marketed as non-flushable. They should be discarded in the trash instead.

“This is a nationwide problem, and Michigan has the opportunity to set an example for the many remaining states that have not yet implemented proper wipe labeling requirements,” Hornberger said. 

If House Bill 6424 passes, manufacturers of disposal wipes who fail to meet the "non-flushable" and "do not flush" requirements would face a fine. The bill is pending in the Michigan Legislature.

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