FTC Mandates 'Do Not Flush' Labels on Wipes: Companies Get One Year to Comply

The Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety Act, or WIPPES Act, tackles a problem many of us have faced: the dreaded plumbing clog caused by those supposedly "flushable" wipes. This section of the bill focuses entirely on mandatory labeling for disposable, premoistened wipes—specifically baby wipes and household/personal care wipes made with petrochemical fibers.

The Clear-Cut Labeling Mandate

This isn't a suggestion; it’s a rule. Manufacturers of these "covered products" must stamp a large, highly visible "Do Not Flush" symbol and notice directly onto the packaging. The bill gets incredibly specific about where this goes, depending on the container. If you buy wipes in a cylindrical tub, the symbol has to be visible right where you grab a wipe, or on the main front panel and the flip lid. For soft pouches, it needs to be on the main front panel and the dispensing side. The goal is to make it virtually impossible to miss.

Crucially, the law demands that the symbol and notice take up at least 2% of the main display panel’s surface area and must have high contrast (at least 70%) with the background. Think of it as the government making sure that warning label is louder than the product's marketing claims. And speaking of claims, the bill strictly bans companies from making any statement, implied or written, suggesting the product can or should be flushed. You won't see a wipe package suggesting it’s "sewer-safe" anymore if it falls under this definition.

Who’s Policing the Pipes?

Enforcement falls to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). If a company fails to follow these detailed labeling rules, the FTC treats it as an unfair or deceptive practice under the FTC Act. This means the FTC can investigate and penalize violators, just like they do for false advertising. Companies have a one-year grace period from the Act’s passage to update all their packaging and comply with the new rules.

For everyday people, this is a win for both their home plumbing and municipal infrastructure. Those massive "fatbergs" clogging city sewer systems—often made up of non-flushable wipes—cost taxpayers millions in maintenance. Clear, standardized labeling should help reduce these costly infrastructure headaches, potentially saving your city some serious cash down the line. If you’re a renter or homeowner, this means fewer expensive calls to the plumber.

The Trade-Off: Federal vs. Local Control

While the labeling standardization is a benefit, this section includes a significant trade-off: federal preemption. The WIPPES Act explicitly states that no state or local government can create its own "Do Not Flush" labeling rules unless they are exactly the same as these new federal requirements. This is where the policy gets tricky. On one hand, it simplifies life for manufacturers who only have to comply with one national standard, rather than 50 different state rules. On the other hand, it strips local governments of the ability to set stricter standards if their local infrastructure (say, an older, more fragile sewer system) requires them. If your city has unique needs, they lose the ability to mandate labeling that goes beyond the federal minimum.

Also, the definition of a "covered product" relies on subjective terms like having a "high potential to be flushed." This gives the FTC some discretion in determining exactly which products are covered, which could lead to disputes with manufacturers down the road. But for now, the message is clear: if you sell a wipe that shouldn't be flushed, you have one year to make that warning impossible to ignore.