A consultation on banning wet wipes containing plastic has been launched today as part of government plans to tackle plastic and microplastic pollution, improve water quality, and reduce damage caused by “fatbergs” in the sewage system.

Running for six weeks until 25 November, the joint consultation from the governments of the UK, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will seek views on a full ban on the manufacture, supply and sale of wet wipes that contain plastic as part of the Westminster government’s Plan for Water.

According to the Bin the Wipe campaign from trade body Water UK, 90 per cent of wet wipes contain plastic such as polyester or polypropylene. As a result, they contribute to 94 per cent of sewer blockages, leading to damage to properties, increased flood and pollution risks, and a bill of around £100m a year.

Banning wet wipes containing plastic would also help alleviate the issue of plastic-based products breaking down into microplastics over time and polluting Britain’s waterways, the government said, as well as reducing the volume of microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants. 

The ban would also build on retailer-led action from the likes of Boots, Tesco, and Aldi, which have already stopped selling wet wipes containing plastic in favour of plastic-free alternatives.

The launch comes after a 2021 Call for Evidence in England found that 96 per cent of respondents supported a ban on wet wipes containing plastic, while April polling from YouGov revealed that 82 per cent of people backed the move, including 57 per cent who “strongly” supported a ban.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said that wet wipes containing plastic are unnecessary and contribute directly to water pollution. “Today’s plan shows we will continue to tackle plastic pollution in our waterways, building on banning microbeads in personal care products to taking billions of plastic bags out of circulation,” she said. “The consultation delivers on Defra’s commitments set out in the Plan for Water this year to launch a public consultation on the ban and work with industry to ensure plastic-free alternatives are widely available, with some retailers already taking action.

“It also forms part of the Government’s wider world-leading action to tackle the scourge of plastic pollution and eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042.” 

Natalie Gourlay, head of environmental social governance at Boots UK, welcomed the move to take collective action to end the use of plastic-based wet wipes.

“Boots removed all wet wipes containing plastic from sale in stores and online earlier this year as part of our long-standing commitment to sustainability and working with suppliers and customers to reduce the use of plastic,” she said.

Charity City to Sea, which has been campaigning against wet wipes and other sources of microplastic pollution for many years, welcomed the proposed ban, but argued that it was long overdue. 

“Although we welcome this ban, don’t believe the wipe,” policy manager Steve Hynd said. “The ban could and should have been introduced years ago. We were first promised it in 2018 and have since responded to numerous consultations and calls for evidence. When you combine this with the clear and compelling environmental harm these products do, I am not sure what else the government is waiting for.”   

Hynd welcomed wider messaging about the need to bin rather than flush  wet wipes, he argued that it misses the wider issue of how plastic-based products that are flushed result in polluted waterways.

“Public awareness of the critical state of the UK’s rivers and waterways has never been so high and wet wipes are a huge part of that problem,” he said. “When wipes containing plastic are flushed down our toilets, they end up creating havoc in our sewers, leading to blockages and resulting in sewage pollution flowing into our rivers.”

Today’s announcement comes after Thérèse Coffey wrote to producers and retailers of wet wipes earlier in the year warning that labels saying “flushable” or “fine to flush” may encourage consumers to dispose of wipes down the toilet, rather than in a bin. 

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