Aquapak’s water-soluble, marine-safe, non-toxic polymer, Hydropol, is set to revolutionise the manufacture of hygiene products, such as wet wipes and sanitary pads by making them dissolvable, fully flushable and preventing them from forming fatbergs in sewers and releasing harmful microplastics. This is thanks to the development of a revolutionary new dissolvable nonwoven material (flat, porous sheets that are made directly from separate fibres or from molten plastic or plastic film) which uses Hydropol instead of conventional plastics and helps prevent tonnes of plastic pollution from entering the environment.
The scale of the environmental damage caused by so-called flushable hygiene products which do not breakdown easily is enormous. The UK uses around 11 billion1 wet wipes every year and an in-depth investigation2 of sewer blockages identified that wet wipes account for 93% of the material causing blockages in sewers. Traditional sanitary pads are composed of up to 90% plastic, taking 500 years to degrade and creating microplastics during the process – 300,000 tonnes of microplastics are created from sanitary pad waste in Western Europe. It is estimated that 1.4 million3 sanitary pads are flushed every single day in the UK alone.
By replacing plastic with Hydropol in the manufacture of soft, drapable and strong nonwoven materials used to make products such as wet wipes, manufacturers can maintain functionality without harming the planet. Unlike plastic, tests prove that it is completely dissolvable and flushable, thanks to its water solubility. This means that when it is flushed down the loo, the Hydropol fibres absorb water and swell but do not fragment into microplastics. The fibres continue to dissolve and biodegrade – which means it safely and effectively disappears without a trace into domestic wastewater systems.
In addition, when flushed, Hydropol does not attract any toxins to its surface, such as fats, oils, greases (FOG). This means that the presence of Hydropol in sewer and wastewater systems will not contribute to fatberg formation or any blockages. Furthermore, Aquapak studies have shown that it biodegrades in effluent plants.
Aquapak has worked closely with Innovatec Microfibre Technology to ensure production of the nonwoven at scale, and dissolvable wipe developer, KINDCLOTH™, which has patented the dissolvable wet wipe technology. This collaborative enterprise has enabled the conversion of Hydropol pellets into meltblown nonwoven fibres in a single-step process to create the material, whilst ensuring effective wet wipe products are produced. Wipes are manufactured from the nonwoven material, and KINDCLOTH™-approved lotions are applied to create the end wet wipe product. The wipes, when flushed, dissolve in seconds. The new meltblown nonwoven complies with flushability standards4 and has been certified as biodegradable in freshwater5 and is home compostable6. The same nonwoven technology is also suitable for a range of other applications, including insect repellent and eye makeup remover wipes, industrial wipes and face masks.
Aquapak is also partnering with Planera to develop the Fluus flushable sanitary pad which uses a different technology to the dissolvable wet wipe, demonstrating the versatility of Hydropol technology. Here a Hydropol coating or film is applied to nonwoven materials in place of conventional plastic which then dissolves when the pad is disposed of.
Mark Lapping, Chief Executive Officer, Aquapak, said: “We have worked closely with leading nonwoven material manufacturers to develop an environmentally friendly alternative which does not rely on conventional plastic for its functionality and is set to revolutionise the nonwovens sector. The new material is being used to develop next generation hygiene products such as wet wipes which will not release microplastics or block sewers. This solves one of the biggest consumer pollution problems facing us today.”
1 Water UK, (2020), Environmental Bill Recommendations
2 Water UK, (2017), Wipes in Sewer Blockage Study
3 Plastic-Free Periods. Better for Your Body, Better for the Planet. https://www.citytosea.org.uk/campaign/plastic-free-periods/.
4 EDANA GD4 flushability
5 Freshwater biodegradation (ISO 14851),
6 OK Compost Home (TUV)