Flushable Wipes FAQ's
Are Wet Wipes Flushable? Understanding the Australian Standard AS/NZS 5328
The short answer. In Australia, only wet wipes that meet the joint Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 5328:2022 are safe to flush down the toilet. This standard requires products to pass six independent tests proving they break down in the sewer system in the way toilet paper does. Most wet wipes sold in Australia do not meet this standard. Kine Body Cloths and Kine Baby Wipes are certified to AS/NZS 5328. Kine Hand Cloths, Surface Cloths, Makeup Removal Cloths, and Pet Cloths are not flushable and should be disposed of in the bin.
What is AS/NZS 5328?
AS/NZS 5328:2022 is the joint Australian and New Zealand Standard for flushable products, published in May 2022 by Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand. It was developed by a trans-Tasman technical committee that included water utilities, consumer groups, local government bodies, plumbers’ associations, and manufacturers, and it was created to end years of confusion about which wet wipes are actually safe to flush.
Before this standard existed, the word “flushable” could mean almost anything. Manufacturers used the term inconsistently, and consumers had no reliable way to know which wipes would disintegrate in the sewer and which would not. AS/NZS 5328 changed that. To be labelled flushable now, a product must demonstrate that it passes a defined suite of tests, and it must indicate this compliance clearly on its packaging.
Why it matters: what wet wipes cost Australia
Wet wipes are the primary driver of sewer blockages in Australia, identified as such by major water utilities including Sydney Water and Yarra Valley Water. The scale of the problem is significant:
- Sydney Water removes approximately 500 tonnes of wet wipes from the network each year at an average cost of $8 million.
- Yarra Valley Water clears around 650 tonnes of wipes and rags annually, at a cost of close to $1 million.
- Queensland Urban Utilities pulls approximately 120 tonnes of wipes out of the system each year, contributing to around 3,500 blockages and costing about $1 million.
- The Water Services Association of Australia estimates fatbergs (dense congealed masses of wipes, fats, and other flushed items) cost water utilities across Australia around $15 million per year in total.
The consequences are not only financial. Blocked sewer systems can back up into homes, overflow into waterways, and damage the surrounding environment. For an individual household, a wipe-related blockage can cost up to $1,000 in emergency plumbing.
The six tests a wipe must pass
To be classified as flushable under AS/NZS 5328:2022, a product must pass six independent tests that verify it behaves like toilet paper as it moves through household plumbing, municipal wastewater infrastructure, and treatment plants.
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TEST |
WHAT IT MEASURES |
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Toilet bowl and drain line clearance |
The wipe clears a toilet and moves through household drains without causing a blockage.
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Household pump test |
The wipe passes through domestic pump systems typical of sewer infrastructure.
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Disintegration |
The wipe breaks apart within a defined time when subjected to wastewater conditions.
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Municipal pump test |
The wipe passes through the commercial-grade pumps used in municipal wastewater networks.
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Settling |
The wipe fragments settle appropriately in wastewater treatment plants. |
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Aerobic biodegradability |
The wipe biodegrades under the conditions found in treatment plants.
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Testing must be performed by an accredited laboratory. As of the current version of the standard, only two laboratories globally are equipped to perform the full suite: SGS in the United States and CTP in France. This makes AS/NZS 5328 one of the more rigorous flushability standards in the world, and it is stricter in some respects than the international INDA and EDANA Code of Practice used elsewhere.
Which Kine cloths are flushable?
Kine is an Australian-owned personal care brand that manufactures plant-based cloths in South Australia. Two products in the Kine range are certified to AS/NZS 5328:2022 and can be flushed:
- Kine Body Cloths (25-pack and 10-pack travel)
- Kine Baby Wipes (80-pack)
The following Kine products are not flushable and should be disposed of in the bin:
- Kine Hand Cloths (25-pack and 10-pack travel)
- Kine Surface Cloths
- Kine Makeup Removal Cloths
- Kine Pet Cloths
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Plant-based does not mean flushable. It is possible to make a plant-based cloth that is fully compostable but not appropriate to flush. Flushability requires a specific engineering standard that goes beyond material origin. Kine’s non-flushable cloths are still made from plant-based cellulose fibres, they are simply engineered for different jobs (skin cleansing, surface cleaning, makeup removal, pet care) using materials suited to those tasks. They belong in the bin. |
How to identify a genuinely flushable wipe
Look for one or both of the following on the packaging before flushing any wet wipe:
- A statement that the product complies with, or meets, AS/NZS 5328:2022.
- The approved flushable logo, which shows a person disposing of an item in a toilet.
If a product carries neither marker, do not flush it. Non-flushable wipes should carry a “Do Not Flush” label, usually depicted as a person disposing of an item in a bin. The safest rule is the one used by every Australian water utility: if in doubt, put it in the bin.
Frequently asked questions
Are all “flushable” wet wipes actually flushable?
No. Before AS/NZS 5328:2022 was published, manufacturers used the term “flushable” inconsistently, and many wipes marketed as flushable would not break down in the sewer. To be genuinely flushable in Australia, a product must comply with AS/NZS 5328:2022 and indicate this on its packaging.
Can I flush a wipe if the packaging says “biodegradable”?
Not necessarily. Biodegradability describes whether a material eventually breaks down, but flushability requires a wipe to disintegrate quickly enough not to cause blockages in the sewer. A wipe can be biodegradable in a landfill or compost setting and still be inappropriate to flush.
What happens if I flush a non-flushable wipe?
Non-flushable wipes do not break apart in water. They pass through household plumbing intact, combine with fats and oils in the sewer, and can form fatbergs, dense congealed masses that block pipes, damage infrastructure, and back up sewage into homes and waterways.
Are Kine Baby Wipes flushable?
Yes. Kine Baby Wipes are certified to AS/NZS 5328:2022 and can be flushed. They are made from 100 percent plant-based cellulose fibres and manufactured in South Australia.
Are Kine Body Cloths flushable?
Yes. Kine Body Cloths are certified to AS/NZS 5328:2022 and can be flushed. Both the 25-pack and the 10-pack travel size meet the standard.
Are Kine Hand Cloths flushable?
No. Kine Hand Cloths are formulated for skin cleansing on the hands and are not certified to AS/NZS 5328. They should be disposed of in the bin.
Are Kine Surface Cloths, Makeup Removal Cloths, or Pet Cloths flushable?
No. None of these products are certified to AS/NZS 5328 and should not be flushed. They belong in the bin.
Where is AS/NZS 5328 published?
The standard is jointly published by Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand. The full standard is available through the Standards Store (store.standards.org.au).
Kine is an Australian-owned personal care brand founded in 2024. Manufactured in South Australia, Kine produces plant-based cloths and wipes across body care, baby care, hand hygiene, surface cleaning, makeup removal, and pet care. Kine is the trading name of Kine Australia and is unrelated to kinesiology or kinesiotherapy.
Kine for you. Kine for yours. Kine for the environment.