Flushability Assessment
A benefit for your nonwoven hygiene products
- Qualify the ability of your product to be disposed of via the toilet without causing damage to conveyance and wastewater treatment systems
- Position the product with respect to the international « Guidelines for Assessing the Flushability of Disposable Nonwoven Products » published by INDA and EDANA associations
Generate Value...
Today, more and more disposable hygiene products based on nonwoven materials are offered to consumers for use in the bathroom (wipes, wet toilet papers, wipes for intimate use...). The appeal of these products to the consumer is undeniable. Their generalization prompted associations of producers of nonwoven materials to set up a guideline to qualify the ability of these products to be disposed in the toilet. The issue is of importance for producers but also for users and public authorities.
In 2010, the CTP created a Flushability Laboratory which is currently the sole independent laboratory recognized in Europe for the assessment of the flushability of disposable hygiene products made from nonwoven materials.
Testing the products according to the « Flushability Guidelines of INDA and EDANA » provides factual arguments to promote the acceptability of these products and develop their markets.
Slosh-Box testing equipment
Context and performance
The technical evaluation of the flushability of the nonwoven products is carried out in accordance with the « Guidelines for Assessing the Flushability of Disposable Nonwoven Products » published by INDA(1) and EDANA(2) associations and the 4th edition of 2018 in particular.
Rinsing step for collection of the residue after disintegration in the Slosh-Box
Content of services
The technical assessment of the flushability is to ensure the compatibility of the product tested with drainage systems, pipes, domestic installations (pump, septic tank) and transport and urban wastewater treatment facilities.
It is necessary to establish that the product passes all these steps without causing problem.
The evaluation thus contains 7 tests, all of them must be successful:
- Toilet bowl and drainline clearance test
- Slosh box disintegration test
- Household pump test
- Settling test
- Aerobic biodisintegration test
- Anaerobic biodisintegration test
- Municipal sewage pump test
Each test can also be offered individually, in the context of development, optimization or comparison of products on a particular criterion.
Non-flushable product (non-disintegrated product)
Flushable product (well-disintegrated product)
Deliverables
For each test, the results are given in a summary sheet and compared with the acceptance criteria defined in the reference « Guidelines for Assessing the Flushability of Disposable Nonwoven Products », 4th ed., 2018.
In the case of a technical evaluation of the flushability, a complete test report is provided, with an overall conclusion on the flushability of the product.
(1) INDA : « International Nonwovens and Disposables Association » : Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry. www.inda.net
(2) EDANA : « European Disposables And Nonwovens Assocation » : Leading global association and voice of the nonwovens and related industries. www.edana.org