The answer is a nightmare for wastewater equipment and maintenance personnel.
No matter what the packaging says, all types of wipes CLOG pipes!!! While flushable, they do not break down and cause terrible problems in all wastewater systems, whether a utility system or a home septic system.
These clogs restrict the flow of wastewaters from homes, businesses, and along wastewater lines, resulting in increased costs to residents and business owners and contamination to area creeks and rivers.
The well-documented issues have appeared in news, video, and newspaper coverage from across the United States. According to one clean water agency official, the public is being duped by manufacturers into believing that "flushable" wipes are safe for use in sewer and septic systems. Flushing wipes down the toilet has become a significant problem for wastewater facility operators, and the situation has only worsened in recent years.
The problem is both operational and financial.
Blockages often occur in residential and municipal sewer systems from an accumulation of disposable wipes in wastewater treatment and collection systems. The pipes, pumps, and other equipment that process flushable waste in wastewater treatment systems are often incapable of handling such waste.
Disposable wipes have a variety of different uses – from sanitary cleansing to make-up removal. The appeal of disposable wipes is easy to dispose of and often labeled as "flushable." Many lawsuits surround whether or not wipes branded as "flushable" can biodegrade quickly enough to run efficiently through sewerage systems.