Public awareness soars as 100th wipe passes Fine to Flush

The number of wet wipe products that meet the Fine to Flush accreditation has reached 100 since the scheme launched in 2019.

Consumer awareness of the problems associated with flushing wet wipes down the loo has grown as the sector ramped up messages about what not to flush.

A poll by Water UK showed 56% of people are now aware that flushing wet wipes or other unflushable items can lead to blocked sewers, fatbergs and polluted waterways.

The 100^th accreditation was given to the Little Hero Toilet Training wipes.

In its first year only five products met the requirements of the accreditation, which is given to products that do not contain plastic and have undergone testing to demonstrate they will break down in sewers.

Five major UK supermarkets now stock accredited products and Tesco and Aldi have banned the sale of wipes that have plastic in them, which Water UK said could pave the way for other retailers to follow.

The sector spends around £100 million each year unclogging wipes and non-flushable items from pipe and sewers to prevent blockages and pollution problems.

Water UK chief executive Christine McGourty said: “It’s great to see that so many companies are joining us in our mission to end the harm that unflushable wet wipes can cause. We’re calling on all manufacturers to follow suit and seek Fine to Flush accreditation for their wipes, to help protect our sewers and environment for generations to come.”

Fleur Anderson MP introduced a bill in November last year to ban wipes containing plastic, which several in the sector said should be extended to other single-use plastics.

Anderson said she wanted the ban to force manufacturers to move away from plastics faster and reduce blockages in sewage networks.

Around 11 billion wipes are used in the UK each year and make up 90% of the material in fatbergs.