Are Cleaning Wipes Compatible With Sustainability and ESG Goals?

While wipes are a quick and efficient way to clean surfaces, they are increasingly under scrutiny for their sustainability and degradability.

Given that cleaning wipes are often constructed of microfiber, which contains plastic polymers like polyester and polyamide/nylon, and are disposed of after each use, they are not inherently eco-friendly. U.S. regulations are increasingly banning single-use plastics (SUPs). As of 2026, twelve states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, all have statewide bans on SUPs. While these laws have targeted SUPs like plastic shopping bags, Styrofoam food containers, and plastic cutlery, it is not hard to imagine that these rules could apply to microfiber wipes in the not-so-distant future.

Beyond materials, disposal is becoming a growing concern. Non-flushable wipes are widely associated with sewer blockages, and inconsistent labeling has added to the issue. In response, several states have introduced legislation requiring clear “Do Not Flush” labeling, with defined standards for visibility and placement. Washington was among the first to implement such rules, followed by California, Oregon, Illinois, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Colorado. This adds complexity for companies looking to align product use with internal ESG policy requirements.

However, the reality is more nuanced than perception alone suggests. A sewage collection study conducted by the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA), the Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA), and the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) found that flushable wipes accounted for less than 1% of collected waste. In comparison, paper products made up 53%, while wipes clearly labeled as non-flushable accounted for 34%. This highlights a gap between perception and actual impact, as well as ongoing challenges around consumer awareness and disposal behavior.

In response, the industry is adapting. There is a growing shift toward alternative substrates such as bamboo and cotton, alongside increased use of plant-based or biodegradable ingredients, including citric acid, lactic acid, and thymol. Suppliers are also introducing products with reduced plastic content, improved compostability, and more sustainable packaging. Recent examples include Lysol Simply by Reckitt, Clorox Free & Clear, EcoClean, PDI’s Protect 360 Biodegradable Sanitizing Wipes, WypAll by Kimberly-Clark, Chicopee Microfibre by Berry Global, and Ecolab’s Disinfectant 1 Wipe, a 100% plastic-free, degradable hospital wipe made from wood pulp fibers. These developments reflect a broader shift toward more sustainable cleaning wipes that balance performance with evolving regulatory and ESG expectations.

These developments are particularly relevant as professional end users reassess the role of wipes within their sustainability and ESG policy goals. While wipes remain widely used, concerns around waste and biodegradability are becoming more prominent, influencing how products are evaluated and selected. These innovations are likely to resonate with professional cleaning end users who have expressed concerns about the compatibility of wipes with their sustainability and ESG goals. Recent survey findings show that among those reducing their use of disposable wipes, there is a clear level of concern around ESG alignment, with waste and biodegradability cited as the primary issues.