Stop flushing wipes if you care about the environment, new Water UK campaign urges

Close to 90% of people are aware that flushing wet wipes down the lavatory can harm the environment, yet 22% admit to doing it. according to a recent study.

The survey by Savanta research for Water UK also found 91% of people said the environment was important to them.

Of those who admitted to flushing wet wipes, 89% said that protecting the environment was an important issue to them, along with protecting animals (91%) and pollution of rivers and seas (87%). Young people aged 18-24 were the worst flushing offenders, with almost half (44%) admitting to flushing wipes compared to just 12% of those over the age of 65.

The survey results were published as Water UK launched a new national "Bin the Wipe" campaign which seeks to convince people to put wipes in dustbins, rather than down the toilet where they can can cause damage. Wipes are a major source of sea and river pollution, can kill wildlife and are responsible for 75% of drain blockages. Water UK said the 300,000 sewer blockages a year cost the country £100m.