Cottonelle Wipes Maker Settles Claims for Up to $17.5 Million (2024)

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Cottonelle Wipes Maker Settles Claims for Up to $17.5 Million? ›

Consumers seeking damages over recalled lots of Cottonelle Flushable Wipes contaminated with bacteria won final approval of a settlement worth between $10 and $17.5 million. The US District Court for the Northern District of Texas granted final approval of the deal with Kimberly-Clark Corp

B.C.'s Supreme Court has confirmed a national class action lawsuit against Kimberly-Clark Corporation following a 2020 recall of flushable wipes over possible bacteria contamination.

In its 2020 recall, Kimberly-Clark advised that some of the recalled products did not meet the company's "high-quality standards" and "could show the presence" of the bacterium Pluralibacter gergoviae, which can cause infections, particularly to people with weakened immune systems.

Why were they recalled? A strain of bacteria, known as Pluralibacter gergoviae, was detected during product testing. In October of 2020, Costco, Amazon and other retailers began warning customers who purchased certain Cottonelle® Flushable Wipes that their products might contain a strain of this bacteria.

Consumers Report Flushable Wipes Cost Them Hundreds in Plumbing Services. Online, consumers have given brands like Kleenex Cottonelle, Wet Ones, and Charmin negative reviews, claiming that they were forced to spend hundreds of dollars to unclog their pipes after using the flushable wipes.

Cottonelle Flushable Wipes contain no harsh chemicals or dyes and are free of alcohol and parabens so they're safe for vagin*l care (and all sensitive body parts), too. Bottom line – you can still feel refreshed 'down there' even during your time of the month thanks to Cottonelle® Flushable Wipes.

Cottonelle® Flushable Wipes are flushable due to patented technology that allows them to lose strength and break up when moving through the system after flushing.

Cottonelle Recall Risks

In some people, it can cause a serious infection with severe symptoms, such as nausea, persistent fever, respiratory complications, and even bleeding. Risk of a severe bacterial infection increase due to: Weakened immune systems. Preexisting conditions.

Most people think wet wipes are safe to flush down the loo. You may have read the packaging and believed the sneaky manufacturer's claim that they're flushable. Don't be fooled – they're not! They're mainly made of plastic, so they don't break down like loo paper.

Cottonelle is an American brand of toilet paper produced by Kimberly-Clark.

What chemicals are in Cottonelle wipes? ›

Baby wipes can expire, so always check the expiration date.

After more than four years of litigation, on March 14, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas granted final approval to a class action settlement whereby Kimberly-Clark agreed to pay up to $17.5 million in cash reimbursem*nts to consumers who purchased recalled lots of Cottonelle wipes.

Dissolvability. Flushable wipes might go down the toilet easily, but that's the whole story. Oftentimes they stay intact further down the pipes and can cause what plumbers refer to as a “fatberg” or “ragging” — a massive blockage.

When we put flushable wet wipes vs toilet paper to the test, the results were clear: flushable wipes are superior to toilet paper in every way. From a hygiene perspective, they clean more efficiently and thoroughly; they're softer and gentler; and they flush down the toilet just as easily as toilet paper.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation will reimburse consumers for the purchase price of the recalled product(s) in the Voluntary Recall of Cottonelle® Flushable Wipes for validated Lot Codes of impacted products between today and June 30, 2021.