Firm calls for better labelling to aid wastewater treatment

United Utilities has called for bathroom product suppliers to reassess their labelling policies in order to aid wastewater treatment.

The north-west-based water board has suggested that too many items such as wipes or cotton wool are being flushed down the toilet because their packaging states that it is safe to do so.

However, the firm has claimed that disposing of such items in this way is causing pipes to clog up and in some cases sewage is being spilled into public areas.

Regional wastewater network manager for the company Mike Wood insisted the advice on many labels is either "missing or misleading".

"These products are the bane of our sewer engineers' lives," he remarked.

Mr Wood also called for manufacturers to take greater care in labelling their products in order to "avoid the mess, expense and environmental damage of sewer flooding".

Bosses at NI Water in Northern Ireland issued a plea to households earlier this month, after items such as nappies blocked a sewage pump, causing the water quality in parts of Antrim to deteriorate.

Posted by Joseph Hutton