Flushable Wipes Lawsuits
The recent announcement by the DOE (Department of Energy) to spend $18 million to remove flushable wipes from sewage systems prompted an outcry from the public. But who should be blamed for this blight on our waterways? The problem is rooted in the fact that flushable wipes can cause clogs in sewage treatment facilities. Regardless of who is to blame, the public has a right to know about their products and their effects on the environment.
Charmin Freshmates
A lawsuit has been filed against The Procter & Gamble Company, maker of Charmin Freshmates flushable wipes. The company claims that its wipes are safe to flush, but consumers are finding that they can cause damage to septic tanks and plumbing. Consumers are filing a class action lawsuit against P&G to get the company to pay a settlement. The lawsuit alleges that the wipes did not degrade when flushed, despite being advertised as such.
The lawsuit was filed in New York, but the settlement reached with Procter & Gamble settles the claims without admitting or denying any of the plaintiff’s allegations. P&G agrees to compensate Class Members and make changes to its products. The company’s defense attorneys say the settlement is a victory for consumers, but it’s too late to make changes to prevent this problem from occurring again.
Kimberly-Clark
Consumers are demanding a federal court approved a $20 million settlement in the Kimberly-Clark FlushABLE Wipes Lawsuit. The lawsuit accuses the manufacturers of selling products labeled as flushable, but in reality, they are not. Consumers allege that flushable wipes caused clogged sewers and blocked pipes. In addition, they have experienced septic tank problems.
The Kimberly-Clark FlushABLE Wipes Lawsuit is intended to compensate consumers for injuries caused by the contaminated wipes. This class action aims to compensate anyone over 18 years old who purchased the contaminated wipes. The settlement will give you cash payments in exchange for your suffering. The Kimberly-Clark Flushable Wipes Lawsuit claims that the company failed to warn consumers of potential health risks.
The water-pollution-friendly wipes lawsuit was filed by consumers who were harmed by the wipes’ chemical composition. K-C has committed to improving its products’ flushability, including the Cottonelle brand. It has also conducted tests with plumbers to ensure that its wipes are safe for flushing. Furthermore, the Association of Nonwoven Fabrics (INDA) and other groups have also promoted testing and labeling requirements. In fact, several U.S. states have passed laws requiring the manufacturers to clearly label non-flushable wipes as such.
American Public Works Association
The city of Wyoming, Minn., has filed a lawsuit against six manufacturers of wet wipes, alleging that these wipes clog up wastewater and sewer systems and require costly repairs and maintenance. A photo of the state’s wastewater treatment plant shows the damage flushable wipes cause to its system. The manufacturers in question include Procter & Gamble Co., Kimberly-Clark Corp., Rockline Industries, and S.C. Johnson & Son.
The wipes market is a $6 billion industry, according to the American Public Works Association, but the companies behind these products aren’t doing their part to make them as safe as they claim. Manufacturers label their wipes as “flushable,” “sewer-and-septic safe,” and other similar terms. However, according to the lawsuit, there are no legal requirements for defining what is considered a “flushable” wipe. Nevertheless, the manufacturers claim that their products have been tested by experts at public wastewater facilities.
Charleston Water System
A new lawsuit filed against the Charleston Water System alleges that the wipes that are commonly used to wipe down the toilet are damaging the sewer system. The wipes do not dissolve as well as toilet paper, causing clogs and treatment issues. Also, they are difficult to manually remove. The Charleston Water System says that this problem has been occurring for decades, but it has only become a major problem in the last decade. The COVID-19 pandemic has made matters worse.
In February 2014, D. Joseph Kurtz and Gladys Honigman filed a proposed class action suit. In May of the same year, the companies and the plaintiffs reached an agreement after conducting “substantial discovery.” The settlement was approved by a judge last year. In addition, the plaintiff is seeking attorneys’ fees and injunctive relief for the affected residents. This is the first time that a large public water company has settled with a major manufacturer of flushable wipes.
The recent announcement by the DOE (Department of Energy) to spend $18 million to remove flushable wipes from sewage systems prompted an outcry from the public. But who should be blamed for this blight on our waterways? The problem is rooted in the fact that flushable wipes can cause clogs in sewage treatment facilities. Regardless…