Wet wipes are generally used in every family as baby wipes, makeup remover wipes, and face wipes. This generates a large quantity of waste, which is where sustainable wipes come into play.
Wet wipes usage has become more prevalent, with a variety of styles obtainable containing makeup removers, face wipes, baby wipes, & toilet wipes. However, incorrect tagging and promotion of wipes as flushable has caused serious sanitation problems by facilitating fatbergs, sanitary substances, and wet wipes.
Wet wipes do not break down, such as toilet paper once flushed. They usually have plastic; therefore, when they reach the ocean, they destroy marine life and last for a long time.
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Uses of wet wipes
Wet wipes are the best substitute for rapid & easy cleaning once you want it most and contain several applications:
- Baby Wipes
- Face Wipes: to clean your face at the end of a hectic day.
- Makeup remover wipes: for removing makeup and clean your skin.
Impact of wet wipes on the environment
Any type of waste is terrible for our environment; however, wet wipes have shown to be predominantly bad as the amount at which they are using & incorrectly disposed of, by people not knowing the influence they have on our atmosphere when this occurs.
1- FATBERGS
Flushing wet wipes are the main cause of fatbergs, which finally block our sewage system, and the leakage can contaminate the ocean. Vast fatbergs, produced by wet wipes, fat, & lubricant of sizes equal to 250m have been reported throughout the country, such as London & Devon.
These huge fatbergs were reported to block sewage systems that acquired 1 to 2 months to eradicate, which proves several wet wipes are flushed & thrown out by individuals in the United Kingdom. The issue does not resolve in the U.K.; it spreads to all countries across the world.
So, it is significant not to flush your wet wipes & adequately dispose of them through using baskets & composting correctly where possible, whether it be ordinary wet wipes or eco-friendly baby wipes and face wipes.
2- PLASTIC RIVERBEDS
Any flushed wet wipe creates difficulties in riverbeds where a lot of microplastics are reported more and more frequently. In the United Kingdom, waterways have been established to be the most contaminated rivers on this planet, putting aquatic life at risk. Humans are also affected because we eat seafood that can be polluted due to this. Wet wipes are the primary cause of this type of contamination, and we still do not recognize the long-term side effects of eating plastic particles.
And disposing of wet wipes & baby wipes properly, and introducing eco-friendly baby wipes, & biodegradable face wipes into our healthy lives can have an immense impact on the plastic waste we are generating, not only for ourselves but also for marine life.
What Are Biodegradable wipes?
As with most stuff these days, typical wet wipes have plastic, which is risky for the environment and sea life if not disposed of properly. These wet wipes get their way into waterways and contribute to the worldwide epidemic that is aquatic pollution.
Biodegradable wipes are made to solve this problem and offer a biodegradable substitute that does not have a great impact on the environment. Eco-friendly wet wipes and baby wipes are frequently plant-based because of this; they are less damaging to our environment.
Different types of biodegradable wipes
1- Household
For rapid cleaning of surfaces, select biodegradable wipes made for household usage. They usually have biodegradable solutions that are not as toxic as regular household dusting products and may include natural disinfectant constituents such as tea tree oil.
2- Baby
Baby wipes are the leading type of biodegradable wipes. Besides breaking down comparatively fast once used, they usually are created to be kind on delicate skin your baby and have fewer annoying chemicals.
3- Feminine hygiene
Like body wipes, eco-friendly feminine hygiene wipes are made for females who need to clean up their intimate parts instead of cleansing. These wipes are frequently designed to be pH stabled and harmless for that delicate part.
4- Body hygiene
While bathing is not an option like in the course of an airplane journey or a camping tour, a body wipe, which is rinse-free rinse is your top bet. Body wipes are available in lightly scented & fragrance-free choices. If you want to camp out, you can burry biodegradable wipes in the ground after using them without harming our atmosphere.
Materials Used In Biodegradable Wipes
What makes wipes biodegradable is their materials. Plastic materials usually make conventional wet wipes. Biodegradable wipes are produced by the subsequent natural fibers that are assured to decay within weeks:
1- Bamboo
Deliberated as tree-free wipes provided by bamboo are incredibly sustainable because the plant is rapidly growing & reviving on its own. Bamboo wipes also break down early as compared to all biodegradable resources.
2- Cotton
Choose biodegradable wipes produced by the cotton plant for a cloth-like feel. Although these wipes can be dense, they also take a slightly long time to break down. It is recommended selecting for organic choices when possible due to the heavy use of pesticides in cultivating traditional cotton.
3- Viscose rayon
It is also obtained from trees; this material undertakes a chemical handling for transforming it into the fiber. This makes pretty thick, as well as absorbent wipes.
4- Wood pulp
Wood pulp is usually used for making biodegradable wipes; this material is obtained from trees and treated into a textile-like substance.
5- Prices
Biodegradable wipes have a price starting from 4-37 cents per wipe. Baby wipes & household wipes have lower costs, and body wipes and feminine hygiene wipes come at higher rates.
Biodegradable wet wipes as alternatives
It is wise to get biodegradable baby wipes because they cause less harm to our environment. Do not flush wet wipes down the commode. This also goes for eco-friendly or entirely compostable wipes that are considered as flushable.
In reality, flushing whatever but toilet paper down your toilet is deliberated littering. Wet wipes labeled as flushable are not biodegradable. Those labels just mean that your wipes do not block the sewers easily or create fatbergs. Producers do not ponder any environmental influence while labeling the wipes.
Sometimes, flushable wipes have compounds that boost them to break into smaller particles when flushed; however, this is not as good as biodegradation.
Top 5 biodegradable baby wipes
Biodegradable baby wipes have been receiving a lot of attention these days, & for a good purpose. Most of the wet wipes are not eco-friendly; thus, it could take around 100 years or further for them to vanish from landfills. Frequently individuals flush wet wipes down the toilet; thus, they end up blocking sewerage systems, damaging aquatic life as well as littering our coasts.
Whereas wet wipes should not be flushed down the toilet ever, there are a lot of eco-friendly ones to pick from, which should collapse naturally when disposed of. You can even compost wet wipes.
As well as being superior for the atmosphere, the biodegradable wipes you will get online or at the store are normally better for your skin as well, because they are made without using harsh chemicals. But traditional wet wipes use harsh chemicals that are harmful to our environment.
However, it does not need to be this way. The best way to go will be to stop using wet wipes; occasionally, this is just not possible or useful. In those circumstances, it is considerably better for your skin and the environment to use biodegradable wipes.
The following are the natural wipes produced by renewable resources & are eco-friendly or even compostable. These wipes are also kind to the skin because they do not have harsh substances that may be annoying.
1- Eco by Naty – Fragrance-free Wipes, Biodegradable and Hypoallergenic
The Swedish company Naty is famous for its safe as well as biodegradable baby products, particularly its biodegradable diapers. These compostable wipes are prepared from 100% plant-based, renewable materials.
They are dermatologically verified and free from alcohol, scents, phthalates, artificial dyes, parabens, chlorine, and sulfates. Indeed, they have over 98% water & only a small quantity of gentle chamomile extract.
Because of these materials, these baby wipes are an excellent option for sensitive skin. The ingredients used to create these wipes are picked from 100% FSC licensed wood; it means that the materials obtained from forests that are handled sustainably.
2- Jackson Reece – Fragrance-free Natural Baby Wipes
Jackson Reece has been delivering organic as well as gentle baby products from 2003. The result of several years of progress, these baby wipes are biodegradable, hypoallergenic, pH stable, and dermatologically verified and certified.
They are prepared from paraben as well as a chlorine-free fabric that is entirely biodegradable & compostable. In reality, 99% of the constituents in these baby wipes are obtained from renewable plant-based extracts without any supplementary chemicals or fragrances.
These wipes are fragrance-free, but they also available in a variety with herbal-derived odor, in case you favor a bit of fragrance.
3- Dr. Butler’s – Chemical-Free Biodegradable Wet Wipes
Industrialized by a doctor with a lot of experience, these wet wipes are free of harsh elements. They are hypoallergenic and have filtered water as well as natural botanicals, such as rosemary oil excerpt, vitamin E, and aloe barbadensis leaf extract.
These wipes are free from petrochemicals, chlorine, fragrances, phthalates, alcohol, plastic, formaldehyde, phenols, or other possibly risky chemicals. These wipes are also preservative-free. These wipes are prepared by natural bamboo; thus do not have any rayon, which makes them entirely biodegradable.
4- Earth Friendly Baby Gentle Aloe Vera Baby Wipes
These wipes very common with Big Green Smile clients, with one client labeling them as super calming. They are 100% eco-friendly, these wipes are kind enough for babies because they do not have alcohol, synthetic colors, artificial scents, or harsh substances. Aloe vera, calendula, & chamomile extracts keep skin comfortable as well as healthy.
5- Simply Gentle Organic Baby Wipes
These baby wipes are approved via the Soil Association. These organic wipes are biodegradable, prepared from organic cotton & have skin-nourishing constituents, for example, aloe as well as camellia Sinensis extract.
Biodegradable personal wipes
This is not all about a newborn who gets an advantage from biodegradable wipes!
1- Natracare Intimate Wipes
Natracare creates a variety of organic hygienic products, containing tampons, feminine wipes, & panty liners. They are prepared by 100% organic cotton. Natracare wipes are eco-friendly, compostable, and scented with organic vital oils and abstracts like rose, calendula, & chamomile.
These wipes do not have the alcohol, parabens, plastic, synthetic fragrances, phenoxyethanol, & skin-irritating constituents.
2- Natracare Safe to Flush Moist Tissues
They are produced to clean and revive your skin when you require a little more help. Filled with gentle aloe vera as well as antiseptic Witch Hazel.
Natracare has run carefully with Water U.K. to grow Industry Terms for the first flushable tissue of the U.K., which are assured of breaking safely once flushing while using the natural formula which is harmless to our environment.
3- ImseVimse Organic Cloth Wipes
We all know how significant it is to take away makeup each day. These wipes are useful for keeping on the table or to utilize while traveling; however, most are not eco-friendly, and they can irritate your skin. ImseVimse Organic Wipes are a great substitute to makeup removing wipes.
Biodegradable household wipes
Non-ecofriendly household wipes are as damaging as non-ecofriendly baby wipes.
If you like the suitability of wipes, but need a more plant-based option, go for Ecover Multi-Action Wipes, which are biodegradable, operative, and okay to use on.
Recyclable clothes are a better option for our environment. If You want 100%, Natural Sponge Cloths are prepared by cellulose, organic cotton, & mineral salt. Its packaging is also compostable!
Wrapping up
Although surely the inexpensive and biodegradable choice, using eco-friendly organic cotton is not possible all the times & wet wipes are a suitable alternative.
Wet wipes are not only very useful in the everyday care of your kid; several adults also use regular wet wipes for their sanitation in a variety of circumstances.
Biodegradable wet wipes are a better substitute for regular wet wipes, chemical-infused, & plastic-based wipes.
