The ban aims to protect waterways, curb microplastic pollution and end the scourge of ‘fatbergs’. Some would like to see it come in sooner
England will phase out the sale and supply of wet wipes containing plastic, after the government signed new legislation yesterday designed to tackle a stubborn and costly source of pollution. Ministers say the move will help protect rivers, lakes and coastal habitats while cutting the volume of microplastics entering the environment.
Plastic wet wipes have become a familiar blight. A recent survey by Defra Beach Litter Monitoring Data for the period 2015 to 2020 showed an average of 20 wet wipes littering every 100 metres of beach across the UK, a reminder of how widely these products escape bins and sewage systems. When flushed, the plastics within them break down into microplastics that can harm wildlife and accumulate in the food chain.
“This ban will put an end to plastic wet wipes which choke our sewers, litter our beaches and poison wildlife,” said environment secretary Emma Reynolds. A government consultation found that 95% of respondents backed a plastic wet wipe ban. Retailers have already moved in this direction, with brands such as Boots removing plastic-containing wipes from sale last year.
The law now sets a firm deadline, giving businesses in England until spring 2027 to comply, while the ban will come into effect in December 2026 in Wales. Spain is also preparing legislation to ban the flushing of all wet wipes. And although there is no national ban yet on plastic wet wipes in the US yet, the WIPPES Act, passed by the US House, is a first step that will require wipe manufacturers to label non-flushable products clearly with “Do Not Flush.”
The scale of the problem in England is not only environmental. Wet wipes are a major driver of the so-called fatbergs that clog UK sewers. Research from UK Water Industry Research found they contribute to 94% of sewer blockages. Clearing those blockages costs water companies about £200m a year, a cost absorbed into household bills.
Fresh data from Lanes Group’s Unblocktober campaign suggests the problem is also behavioural, with 63% of people acknowledging that wet wipes cause blockages yet 35% still flushing them anyway.
“The ban on plastics in wet wipes is an important step forward in tackling one of the biggest challenges on the sewer network,”said Stephanie Cawley, director of customer operations at Severn Trent. “Plastics in wet wipes make them stronger and harder to break down, meaning they cause even more issues when flushed. 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.”
Wet wipes are a major driver of the so-called fatbergs that clog UK sewers. Image: Steven White
Environmental groups also see the shift as overdue progress. Chris Coode, CEO at environmental charity Thames21, described the announcement as “fantastic news” and praised the volunteers who have removed thousands of wet wipes from the shore of the River Thames. But he also urged government and industry not to stop here, saying: “We would like to see more systemic change to tackle the issue of plastics entering the environment.”
Some campaigners would like to see the ban come in sooner than 2027, particularly given that plastic free alternatives are already widely available. Others warn that focusing only on wipes containing plastic risks confusing consumers and missing an opportunity to reduce the wider environmental footprint of disposable wipes altogether. The new rules do not prohibit the sale of all wet wipes, only those containing plastics, meaning brands still need to improve labelling to make disposal instructions clear and consistent.
Water Minister Emma Hardy has written to manufacturers urging them to strengthen on-pack guidance so people know that all wet wipes should be binned rather than flushed, even when labelled flushable.
Retailers say the law will help level the playing field. Boots executive Steve Ager said the company had already removed plastic wipes from sale because “healthy communities need a healthy planet”. He added that a national ban would “have a much bigger impact than retailers acting alone.”
Main image: Михаил Руденко
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