Long-awaited wet wipe ban promised ‘before the summer’

Legislation banning wet wipes containing plastics will be introduced in the coming months after a consultation showed 96% support for the move.

The Department for environment, food and rural affairs (Defra) said the decision to reduce the amount of plastic entering waterways by incorrectly disposed of wipes received overwhelming public support.

The water industry has been calling for a ban of these items for years as the biggest contributor to sewer blockages and can ultimately lead to polluted waterways.

Steve Barclay, environment secretary, said: “Wet wipes containing plastic are polluting our waterways and causing microplastics to enter the environment. Defra will introduce legislation before the summer recess to crack down on this unnecessary source of pollution, following our successful single-use carrier bag charge and ban on microbeads in personal care products.”

Defra’s consultation showed 96% of members of the public and non-governmental organisations agreed or strongly agreed with a ban to alleviate unnecessary plastic pollution. This dropped to 60% support from businesses with some highlighting areas for consideration to avoid unintended consequences.

Of the respondents, there were 12 manufacturers with wet wipe production facilities in England, three in Wales and three in Scotland. On average, these said that half of the wipes they make contain plastic and 70% disagreed with the ban. Just 15% of wipe manufacturers agreed with the proposal. Those opposed to it cited unnecessary loss in revenue and jobs as well as concerns about investment required to change production methods.

Most respondents (69%) said they believe the ban on the manufacture and sale of wipes containing plastic will not have an impact on consumers.

Several retailers including Aldi, Tesco and Boots have voluntarily stopped selling wipes that contain plastics as part of sustainability initiatives.

However, environmental groups cautioned that the ban does not go far enough. Chief executive of the Rivers Trust, Mark Lloyd said:  “Whilst it’s good that we are cutting off one supply of plastic to our environment, all wipes are a significant hazard to river systems, carrying chemical disinfectants and glues as well as potentially disease organisms. Even without plastic, wet wipes can still block sewers and wreak environmental havoc.”

The organisation is calling for manufacturers to provide clear labelling on wipes so consumers can take action to make sure that wet wipes are binned and not flushed.

Defra said that a step change was needed to protect waterways from sources of pollution, which Barclay said this ban was part of. However, the government has been criticised for dragging its heels on passing the decision into legislation. A campaign to ban plastic-containing wipes was spearheaded by Labour MP Fleur Anderson in 2021, and had received bipartisan support prior to this.

Water companies spend c£100 million annually removing blockages caused by improperly disposed of wipes and other nonflushable items such as sanitary products and nappies. These can become lodged in pipes and bonded to fats, oils and greases in pipes.

Packaging has been criticised as being too confusing for consumers, who believe items would not cause harm if flushed down the toilet.

A poll last year showed that 22% of respondents admitted to flushing wipes down the toilet, even though 88% were aware they may cause harm.