Rivers, lakes and beaches will be cleaner and wildlife better protected as the Government today signed into law a ban on the sale of plastic wet wipes, marking a major step forward in tackling plastic pollution which devastates our waterways.

Wet wipes containing plastic are a growing source of pollution, with a recent survey showing an average of 20 wet wipes littering every 100 metres of beach across the UK*. When flushed, they can break down into microplastics that poison wildlife and enter the food chain.

The ban follows overwhelming public support with 95% of respondents to the government consultation agreeing with the proposals.

While the new law targets wipes containing plastic, all wet wipes contribute to blockages and pollution when flushed. UK Water Industry Research found that wet wipes contribute to 94% of sewer blockages, which cost water companies around £200 million to fix each year – a cost that is ultimately passed onto households through their water bills.

The public can take action now by ensuring that any wet wipes, even if they are labelled as flushable, are put in the bin rather than flushed away, to reduce costly blockages and safeguard nature.

Water Minister Emma Hardy has written to manufacturers urging that product labelling for wet wipes reflects the government’s message that wet wipes should be binned and not flushed.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said:

This ban will put an end to plastic wet wipes which choke our sewers, litter our beaches and poison wildlife.

It’s another example of the government taking strong, decisive action to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas.

But we all have a role to play. Every wet wipe flushed down the toilet risks blocking sewers, causing pollution and pushing up household bills. The solution is simple: bin wet wipes, don’t flush them.

Stephanie Cawley, Director of Customer Operations at Severn Trent, said:

The ban on plastics in wet wipes is an important step forward in tackling one of the biggest challenges on the sewer network. Plastics in wet wipes makes them stronger and harder to break down, meaning they cause even more issues when flushed and are behind a huge number of blockages.

Our message is only the three P’s, pee, poo and paper should be flushed, and putting wet wipes of any kind in the bin will make a massive difference to the sewer network and the communities we serve.

Plastic-free wet wipes are readily available and several retailers have already stopped selling wet wipes containing plastic. Businesses will have until Spring 2027 to transition to the new rules.

Steve Ager, Chief Customer and Commercial Officer at Boots, said:

Boots was proud to be one of the first retailers to remove all wipes containing plastic from sale in stores and online in 2023 as part of our long-standing commitment with suppliers and customers to reduce the use of plastics.

We believe that healthy communities need a healthy planet, so we are pleased to see the government taking action, as a ban on wipes containing plastic will have a much bigger impact than retailers acting alone.

Chris Coode, CEO at environmental charity Thames21, said:

Thames21 welcomes this fantastic news. This vital move is a crucial step towards protecting the health of our rivers, as it will reduce the introduction of microplastics into the environment.

Thames21 and its dedicated volunteers have been building evidence through our work on the River Thames for many years. A huge shout-out to Thames21’s volunteers and partners for their persistence!

We would like to see more systemic change to tackle the issue of plastics entering the environment via wet wipes and other sanitary waste.

The government is committed to bringing forward the biggest overhaul of the water sector since privatisation to rebuild trust in the industry and secure better outcomes for customers, investors and the environment.

A key part of this is enabling pre-pipe drainage and wastewater solutions, including better management of our rainwater and preventing pollutants from entering the sewerage network and our waterways. This ban is an important aspect of this ambition, and the government is considering further action to support this.

Notes

• The legislation bans the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic in England. Welsh Government has already legislated, with the Northern Ireland Executive and Scottish Government expected to legislate by the end of the year.
• Legislation will be followed by an 18-month transition period, with the ban expected to come into force in Spring 2027.
• A further ban on manufacture will be considered once the ban on supply and sale has come into force.
• The ban applies only to wet wipes containing plastic, not to all types of wet wipes.
• There are some exemptions, for example for use by medical professionals. More detail is available in the legislation documents.
• *For the period 2015 to 2020, an average of 20 wet wipes were found per 100m of beach surveyed across the UK according to Defra Beach Litter Monitoring Data.

source: GOV