Fears that a new super-strong toilet tissue might clog up Britain鈥檚 sewage system have been averted thanks to the swift introduction of a 鈥渇lushability鈥� test for such products.
The crisis was sparked by Procter & Gamble of Newcastle upon Tyne, which in January launched a fortified brand of toilet tissue. Charmin contains special ingredients which give it 鈥渢ransient wet strength鈥�. This prevents 鈥減remature disintegration鈥� of the tissue when it is exposed to small amounts of moisture during use.
Kimberly-Clark of Reigate, Surrey, which makes Britain鈥檚 best-selling Andrex brand, cried foul. In a letter sent to Procter & Gamble and also to the industry鈥檚 trade association, Kimberly-Clark said that the technology had been rejected by British manufacturers previously because of fears that stubborn tissue would clog filters at sewage works.
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To rescue a touchy situation, the trade body, the Association of Makers of Soft Tissue Papers, drafted a voluntary testing protocol for new tissues, which can check that their 鈥渇lushability鈥� and 鈥渄ispersability鈥� stay within agreed limits. Procter & Gamble, meanwhile, has agreed to halve the transient wet strength of Charmin to match a sister product sold in the US.
According to one source in the industry, there is evidence that before Americans use toilet paper they usually 鈥渟crunch鈥� it. Britons tend to fold their tissue, which makes it weaker when wet. This might explain, says the source, why Procter & Gamble opted to launch the extra-strong product for the UK.
From New 杏吧原创, 10 June 2000