FlushabilityLeadingtheWaytoPromotetheProperDisposalofNonwovenDisposableProducts.Thesuppliersofnonwovenmaterialsandproducts,representedbyINDAandEDANAtheAssociati***representingthevastmajorityofnonwovenssuppliedtothemarkettodayacrossNorthAmericaandEMEAarecommittedtocommunicatingtoc***umerswhenthetoiletisanappropriatedisposalrouteforfinishedproductsinthemarketplace.FlushabilityhasbeenanareaoffocusforINDAinNorthAmericaandEDANAinEuropesince2004.Weformedindustry-basedtaskforcestoaddresstheflushabilityofnonwovendisposableproducts.Technicalexpertsfromourmembercompaniesworkedtogethertodevelopadefinitionofflushability,atechnicalasses***entandtestmethods.Thetestmethodswerebasedonthecombinedexperienceofthenonwovendisposableproductsindustryanddrewuponexpertisefromacademia,c***ultancyandthewastewaterindustry.In2008,weissuedthefirstGuidanceDocumenttohelpwipemanufacturersassesswhethertheirproductsshouldbeflushedintothewastewaterstream.Asecondeditionwaspublishedin2009.Thethirdeditionofthe“GuidelinesDocumentforAssessingtheFlushabilityofNonwovenDisposableProducts”wasreleasedinJune2013.Sincethefirstedition,theGuidanceDocumenthasbeenalivingdocument,andwecontinuallygatherfeedbackfromstakeholdersacrossthenonwovensandwastewaterindustriestouseinreviewsandupdatesoftheGuidelines.INDA/EDANAwillcommenceareviewofthethirdeditionnolaterthanDecember31,2015.Werecognizethattheappealoftheseproductscomesfromtheadvantagestheyofferineffectiveness,cleanliness,convenienceandeaseofuse.However,howandwheretheyareusedcanencourageflushingasthemeansfordisposalwhich,incertaincases,isnotthecorrectroute.Together,ouraimistoreducetheamountofnon-flushablematerialinthewastewaterstream.Therefore,itisimportantthatevenproductswhicharelikelytobeflushed(eventhoughnotdesignedtobe),andproductswhichdonotmeetourGuidelinesarelabeled“DoNotFlush”.ThisiswhywedevelopedavoluntaryCodeofPracticewhichincludesa“DoNotFlush”logoforcompaniestouseonproductpackaging.Clearcommunicationonpackagingwillhelptoeducatec***umersontheproperdisposalrouteforproductsandpreventcostlyproblemsathomeandatwastewatertreatmentfacilities.)