Flushability Laboratory
Supporting the development of your disposable hygiene products
- A wide range of toilet and drainline clearance test configurations, dispersion and sedimentation tests, and household and municipal pump test rigs
- A skilled operational team for fully confidential testing
- The only independent laboratory recognized in Europe by EDANA, INDA and IWSFG associations to attest to the flushability of non-woven disposable products
General informations
Flushability refers to the suitability of a product to be disposed of via normal wastewater conveyance and treatment systems.
In addition to toilet paper, consumers are now temp-ted to use toilets for disposing of items such as clea-ning wipes, cosmetic wipes, wet toilet paper, etc., for which flushing would appear to represent the most appropriate disposal route. This is not always the case, however, as these products can disrupt the operation of the wastewater system and wastewater treatment plants.
Test methods have been developed by various stakeholders in the field to characterize products and to inform consumers of the most appropriate means of disposing of them.
Context
Our laboratory is able to carry out flushability tests in accordance with most of the testing protocols pu-blished to date, but can also provide an enhanced range of testing conditions in the context of more specific developments.
In general, all stages of the product disposal route are studied, with an emphasis on disintegration tes-ting.
Equipment
- Toilets and drainlines:
2 lines are available, one connected to a European toilet with different flush volumes available, and one connected to an American toilet. The diameter and the slope of the pipes can be adjusted as required, and snag-points can be introduced. - Disintegration (slosh boxes):
standard-size equipment, with variable oscillating speed. Numerous sieves are available. - Disintegration (shake flasks):
different flask geometries available and variable ro-tation speed. - Settling column:
standard-size equipment - Household lift pumps :
Submersible pumps activated by a float trigger, models LE5IA from Liberty Pumps 0.5HP, Wayne SEL50 0.5HP, Zenith DGE75/2/G50H 0.55HP. - Municipal treatment plant lift pump :
Flygt pumps, capacity 76.8 m3/h, power and flow data acquisition system, models C-3085-183 and N-3085-180.
Tests according to protocols
- EDANA & INDA Flushability Guidelines
- IWSFG Flushability Specifications
- Belgian Royal Decree
- Spanish Standard UNE 149002
- Australian Standard AS/NZS 5328