Governments to legislate to ban plastic wipes by the end of the year

The UK, Welsh and Scottish governments and the Northern Ireland Executive have unveiled plans to introduce legislation to ban the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic.

This follows “overwhelming public support” for the ban, with 95% of the 1,561 respondents to the October consultation in favour – though 60% of businesses disagreed or strongly disagreed with the proposed ban.

Each administration will introduce regulations separately via their respective legislative mechanisms by the end of 2024, and from the point each separate piece of the legislation is passed, there will be an 18-month transition period to allow manufacturers time to transition to producing plastic-free wet wipes. The administrations said the transition period should mitigate economic impacts of the ban, including job losses, and prevent excess stocks of wet wipes containing plastic from being incinerated or landfilled.

Manufacture has been excluded from the ban.The governments explained that manufacturers do not solely supply to the UK “and for them to continue operation, they will need to comply with regulatory requirements of other countries. Our decision is intended to reduce the economic impacts of the ban, including the possibility of job losses in the industry”. Manufacturers in the UK will be able to continue to export wet wipes containing plastic to other countries who do not have the same restrictions but will not be able to supply and sell these in the UK, unless for exempted purposes.

There are two main exemptions: an industrial exemption will allow certain organisations such as hospitals or food production sites to continue to buy wipes containing plastic for their own use; and a medical exemption will allow for supply and sale by registered pharmacies, for those who require these products for medical purposes to use in their own homes, but they will need to specifically ask the pharmacist for these.

The administrations noted that plastic-free wet wipes are already on the market, and consumers will be able to continue to purchase plastic-free wet wipes.

As well as preventing sewer blockages, the ban will reduce plastic litter and microplastics entering waterways.