Wet wipes conveniently clean and sanitize soiled surfaces and skin. Because some labels do not clearly indicate how consumers should dispose of them, these small cloths are often flushed down the toilet and released by sewage plants into waterways. Now, researchers report in ACS ES&T Water that some of these wipes break down into plastic fibers, or microplastics, that could harm aquatic life.

Wet wipes conveniently clean and sanitize soiled surfaces and skin. Because some labels do not clearly indicate how consumers should dispose of them, these small cloths are often flushed down the toilet and released by sewage plants into waterways. Now, researchers report in ACS ES&T Water that some of these wipes break down into plastic fibers, or microplastics, that could harm aquatic life.

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