Don’t Flush Baby Wipes campaign success

Non-flushable baby wipes are one of those items increasingly found in the wastewater stream. To raise awareness about this problem, INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, partnered with the Main Wastewater Control Association and Portland Water District to launch a public awareness campaign that successfully reduced the amount of non-flushable baby wipes in the wastewater system in Portland, Maine. The campaign earned a 2014 EPA Environmental Merit Award. The campaign, “Save Your Pipes: Don’t Flush Baby Wipes,” included television and print ads, social media and supermarket signage. Initial survey results showed a 50 percent reduction in baby wipes found in the wastewater systems.