Lawmakers Look To Ban 'Flushable' Wet Wipes From NYC Stores
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- One New York City lawmaker is trying to send the sale of flushable wipes down the drain.
Council member Donovan Richards bill would ban the sale of wipes marketed as "flushable" because they do not dissolve the way toilet paper does, WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported.
The legislation, initially proposed in 2015, would stop manufacturers from engaging in what the lawmakers say is false advertising, if they want to sell their products in the city.
Manufacturers who label their products flushable when they are not would also face a fine.
According to Department of Environmental Protection Deputy Commissioner Eric Landau, the wipes can cause trouble.
"They don't break down naturally, and by the time they get to the plant, they're either getting caught in the screens, they're clogging up in the system -- causing significant damage to the infrastructure," Landau said.
Though Richards admitting to using the wipes when he's changing his 10-month-old's diaper, he said he opts for the trash rather than the toilet when it comes to disposal.
"You know, when I use a baby wipe it goes into the diaper and we throw it out," Richards said.
