The sale of wet wipes made from plastic has been banned in England to tackle pollution.
Wet wipes can block waterways and create ‘fatbergs’ in sewer systems when flushed, and they can also break down into microplastic, which can poison wildlife and enter the food chain.
A ban on the supply and sale of plastic wet wipes has now been signed into law and is expected to take effect from Spring 2027 to give the industry an 18-month transition period.
During this time retailers will be able to work through selling existing stock.
“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.
“It is another example of the government taking strong, decisive action to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas.”
Some exemptions are included in the legislation, such as use by medical professionals.
After the law comes into force, the government will also consider a further ban on the manufacture of plastic wet wipes.
The Welsh government has already introduced similar legislation, and the governments of Northern Ireland and Scotland are expected to follow by the end of the year.
Some retailers have already stopped selling wet wipes that contain plastic, instead offering wipes made of biodegradable materials.
“Boots was proud to be one of the first retailers to remove all wipes containing plastic from sale in stores and online in 2023 as part of our long-standing commitment with suppliers and customers to reduce the use of plastics,” said Steve Ager, Chief Customer & Commercial Officer at Boots.
“We believe that healthy communities need a healthy planet, so we are pleased to see the government taking action, as a ban on wipes containing plastic will have a much bigger impact than retailers acting alone.”
UK high street health and beauty retailer Holland & Barrett banned plastic wet wipes in 2019, and UK supermarket Tesco did so in 2022.
Consumers are also being urged by the government to avoid flushing any type of wipe, and called on industry to help get the message out.
The environment minister has written to manufacturers urging that product labelling for wet wipes reflects the government’s message that wet wipes should be binned and not flushed.
“We all have a role to play,” said Reynolds.
“Every wet wipe flushed down the toilet risks blocking sewers, causing pollution and pushing up household bills.
“The solution is simple: bin wet wipes, don’t flush them.”
Wet wipes were found to contribute to 94% of sewer blockages, according to research by the UK’s water industry.
This is estimated to cost water companies around £200m a year to fix, which is reflected in water bills.