Trenton is known for pumping out a steady stream of crappy bills, Save Jerseyans, but this latest offering is definitely flush-worthy.
On Monday, Senator Joe Cryan introduced a bill (S3649) in the Senate, Referred to Senate Commerce Committee which would not only ban the sale of disposable wipes but also levy fines for second or subsequent offenders of up to $20,000.
“Non-flushable disposable wipes are cloth-like products intended for the personal cleansing of the human body. However, consumers may wrongly assume these products may be safely disposed of in the toilet,” explained the bill’s statement. “Non-flushable disposable wipes are typically made of synthetic materials that do not break down or disintegrate when submerged in water, even over a long period of time. This results in significant harm to sewage and septic systems, causing pipes, pumps, and water treatment systems to get clogged and require costly repairs.”
Significant harm which overwhelmingly impacts the homeowner.
Once again, why are we protecting people from themselves? Especially when there are many perfectly valid reasons to want and use disposable wipes even if you aren’t flushing them down the toilet? Such a ban would be especially devastating for the special needs community. In any event, anyone with a brain knows that anything other than toilet paper (not the cushy kind that feels good!) is apt to clog your pipes.
Yet again, we are wasting time and energy crafting solutions in search of a problem. AND harming both the business community and a vulnerable population in the process.
Cryan’s bill deserves to be flushed down the drain; we’ll risk the back-up! It’d be worth it.
