A UK-wide consultation on whether wet wipes should be banned will take place, the government announced this weekend (October 14).
The ban will aim to tackle plastic pollution and clean out waterways, due to the fact that unlike toilet paper, wet wipes do not break down in the plumbing.
According to Water UK around a fifth of people admit to flushing wet wipes down the toilet, whilst it is estimated that they are responsible for up to 75% of blockages.
Earlier this year environment secretary Thérèse Coffey wrote to wet wipe producers asking them to reconsider using the word “flushable” on their packaging and to set out her concerns about the fact that over 2 million of them are flushed down toilet each year.
It comes amid concern around sewage leakages across the country, with water companies, including Thames Water, facing criticism for putting profits over tackling the issue.
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“Wet wipes containing plastic are unnecessary and are polluting our environment. Today’s plan shows we will continue to tackle plastic pollution in our waterways, building on banning microbeads in personal care products to taking billions of plastic bags out of circulation,” said environment secretary Thérèse Coffey.
Water UK chief executive David Henderson added: “We welcome the government’s plan to ban plastics from wet wipes. When flushed, these wipes cause fatbergs and other blockages that trigger overflow spills into rivers or flood homes.”
Boots UK head of ESG Natalie Etherington said: “Boots removed all wetwipes containing plastic from sale in stores and online earlier this year as part of our long-standing commitment to sustainability and working with suppliers to reduce the use of plastic.”
“We are pleased to see the government taking action in this area as collectively we all have a responsibility to protect the environment and enable a healthy planet.”
