Wipes ban becomes law

(by Karma Loveday)

A ban on the sale of wet wipes containing plastic has been signed into law in England.

There will be an 18 month transition period, with the ban coming into force in Spring 2027. Medical exemptions are allowed. Defra said a further ban on manufacture will be considered once the ban on supply and sale has come into force.

The ban only applies to wipes containing plastic. Water minister Emma Hardy has written to manufacturers urging that product labelling for other wet wipes reflects the Government’s message that wet wipes should be binned and not flushed.

The Welsh Government has already legislated for a ban on plastic wipes, and both the Northern Ireland Executive and Scottish Government are expected to legislate by the end of the year.

• The Water Research Centre (WRc) has carried out a waste autopsy to examine 30kg of the 114 tonnes of rubbish excavated from the banks of the River Thames, an area that had become known as ‘wet wipe island’. The WRc team identified 12 categories of waste: baby wipes, incontinence wipes, wet wipes, panty liners, tampons, cosmetic wipes, unidentifiable items, hand towels, fabric, unknown plastics, plastic line and twigs/shells. Eight of the 12 product categories identified were the same as those found in sewer blockages, indicating these products are likely to have derived from sewer discharges. All eight are considered ‘non-flushable’ products and will have been labelled as such. The analysis will help Thames Water understand the composition of the build-up, to better inform customers about the harm caused by sewer misuse and the flushing of inappropriate materials.