New legislation bans plastic moist wipes to guard rivers and seas

Rivers, lakes and seashores can be cleaner and wildlife higher protected as the Government in the present day signed into legislation a ban on the sale of plastic moist wipes, marking a significant step ahead in tackling plastic air pollution which devastates our waterways. 

Wet wipes containing plastic are a rising supply of air pollution, with a current survey exhibiting a median of 20 moist wipes littering each 100 metres of seaside throughout the UK*. When flushed, they will break down into microplastics that poison wildlife and enter the meals chain. 

The ban follows overwhelming public help with 95% of respondents to the federal government session agreeing with the proposals.  

While the new legislation targets wipes containing plastic, all moist wipes contribute to blockages and air pollution when flushed. UK Water Industry Research discovered that moist wipes contribute to 94% of sewer blockages, which value water corporations round £200 million to repair annually – a price that’s in the end handed onto households by means of their water payments. 

The public can take motion now by guaranteeing that any moist wipes, even when they’re labelled as flushable, are put within the bin moderately than flushed away, to cut back pricey blockages and safeguard nature.   

Water Minister Emma Hardy has written to producers urging that product labelling for moist wipes displays the federal government’s message that moist wipes must be binned and never flushed.  

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds mentioned:

This ban will put an finish to plastic moist wipes which choke our sewers, litter our seashores and poison wildlife. 

It’s one other instance of the federal government taking robust, decisive motion to scrub up our rivers, lakes and seas. 

But all of us have a task to play. Every moist wipe flushed down the bathroom dangers blocking sewers, inflicting air pollution and pushing up family payments. The resolution is straightforward: bin moist wipes, don’t flush them.

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

The ban on plastics in moist wipes is an essential step ahead in tackling one of many greatest challenges on the sewer community. Plastics in moist wipes makes them stronger and tougher to interrupt down, that means they trigger much more points when flushed and are behind an enormous quantity of blockages.  

Our message is barely the three P’s, pee, poo and paper must be flushed, and placing moist wipes of any form within the bin will make a large distinction to the sewer community and the communities we serve.

Plastic-free moist wipes are readily out there and several other retailers have already stopped promoting moist wipes containing plastic. Businesses may have till Spring 2027 to transition to the brand new guidelines. 

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

Boots was proud to be one of many first retailers to take away all wipes containing plastic from sale in shops and on-line in 2023 as a part of our long-standing dedication with suppliers and clients to cut back using plastics. 

We consider that wholesome communities want a wholesome planet, so we’re happy to see the federal government taking motion, as a ban on wipes containing plastic may have a a lot greater influence than retailers performing alone.

Chris Coode, CEO at environmental charity Thames21, mentioned:

Thames21 welcomes this unbelievable information. This very important transfer is a vital step in the direction of defending the well being of our rivers, as it should scale back the introduction of microplastics into the surroundings.  

Thames21 and its devoted volunteers have been constructing proof by means of our work on the River Thames for a few years. An enormous shout-out to Thames21’s volunteers and companions for his or her persistence! 

We wish to see extra systemic change to deal with the problem of plastics getting into the surroundings by way of moist wipes and different sanitary waste.

The authorities is dedicated to bringing ahead the largest overhaul of the water sector since privatisation to rebuild belief within the business and safe higher outcomes for patrons, traders and the surroundings. 

A key a part of that is enabling pre-pipe drainage and wastewater options, together with higher administration of our rainwater and stopping pollution from getting into the sewerage community and our waterways. This ban is an essential side of this ambition, and the federal government is contemplating additional motion to help this. 

Notes to editors

• The laws bans the provision and sale of moist wipes containing plastic in England. Welsh Government has already legislated, with the Northern Ireland Executive and Scottish Government anticipated to legislate by the tip of the 12 months. 

• Legislation can be adopted by an 18-month transition interval, with the ban anticipated to come back into pressure in Spring 2027. 

• An extra ban on manufacture can be thought of as soon as the ban on provide and sale has come into pressure.   

• The ban applies solely to moist wipes containing plastic, to not all varieties of moist wipes. 

• There are some exemptions, for instance to be used by medical professionals. More element is offered within the legislation documents. 

• *For the interval 2015 to 2020, a median of 20 moist wipes have been discovered per 100m of seaside surveyed throughout the UK based on Defra Beach Litter Monitoring Data.