New law bans plastic wet wipes

The Government has signed into law a ban on the sale of plastic wet wipes following significant public backing, with 95% of respondents to the consultation agreeing with the proposal. This signifies a major step towards reducing plastic pollution and protecting waterways.

For the period 2015 to 2020, an average of 20 wet wipes were found per 100m of beach according to Defra Beach Litter Monitoring Data. These wet wipes contributed significantly to the addition of microplastics that enter food and poison wildlife and contributed to 94% of sewer blockages.

The ban is expected to come into force in around Spring 2027. A further ban on manufacture will be considered once the ban on supply and sale has come into force.