While a wet wipe ban sounds good, this isn’t the first time Downing Street has promised to take action, while Deposit Return Scheme delays reinforce widespread concerns.
A number of organisations have spoken out expressing doubt that a new plan to finally introduce a ban on plastic wet wipe sales in the UK will be introduced.
Giving an idea as to the scale of the problem, a five year study by Defra found the average UK beach had 20 wet wipes per 100m, while major issues with sewage networks and drainage have also been attributed to the build up of household and personal items, including wet wipes.
A public poll showed 95% of voters were in favour of a ban. However, this fell significantly among business representatives, with 60% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing with the proposal.
Confirmed by Environment Secretary Steve Barclay on 22nd April, legislation for England will now be drafted ahead of parliamentary summer recess, followed by the remainder of Great Britain. It is hoped the law could be introduced by autumn.
‘Wet wipes containing plastic are polluting our waterways and causing microplastics to enter the environment. Defra will introduce legislation before the summer recess to crack down on this unnecessary source of pollution, following our successful single-use carrier bag charge and ban on microbeads in personal care products,’ said Mr Barclay.
‘I have been clear that a step change is needed to protect our waterways from pollution. The ban builds on a raft of actions already taken to protect our waterways and hold water companies accountable – including accelerating investment, putting water company fines back into the environment and quadrupling the number of inspections of water company sites,’ he added.
Nevertheless, critics have pointed out the proposals are too limited, and again called for a ban on all single-use plastics and a reduction in plastic production. Without this, they argue piecemeal restrictions on specific items will do little to tackle the root problem.
‘In the UK, we now use over 10.8billion wet wipes per year – that’s an insane 38,000 wet wipes each over our lifetime. Clogging waterways and leaching microplastics into the environment, wet wipes have become an unwelcome stain on the UK that cannot simply be wiped away,’ said Jane Martin, CEO of City to Sea, an anti-plastic NGO partnered with retail giant M&S on refill projects, including International World Refill Day.
‘It’s a positive step forward to see the government take definitive action on banning this pollutant, but action must not end there. The government should now look to tackle all single-use plastic products through further bans and mandated reuse and refill targets,’ she continued. ‘Now it’s wet wipes, next, we’d like to see a cap on – and reduction in – UK plastic production. With an election looming, eyes are on the government to step up the fight on plastics and protect the environment and human health.’
Meanwhile, The Rivers Trust’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Lloyd, suggested that focusing on plastic wet wipes fails to acknowledge the environmental threat posed by all varieties, and risks misinforming the public on the need to cut down overall use, no just make better purchasing decisions.
‘The long-awaited ban on wet wipes containing plastics has finally made it through the machinery of government. Whilst it’s good that we are cutting off one supply of plastic to our environment, all wipes are a significant hazard to river systems, carrying chemical disinfectants and glues as well as potentially disease organisms,’ he said. ‘Even without plastic, wet wipes can still block sewers and wreak environmental havoc. We call for manufacturers to provide clear labeling on wipes so everyone can take action to make sure that wet wipes are binned not flushed.’
The Labour party has also voiced its opinion, and supported the notion of a ‘full ban on the sale, supply and manufacture of plastic wet wipes’. The opposition also referred to an initial ban on wet wipes tabled by the Conservatives in 2018, which failed to materialise. The years since have seen the party marred in controversy for environmental inaction and, in some cases, rolling back pledges on emissions, nature and climate change.
2018 also saw the announcement of a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, part of wider plans to expand the UK’s circular economy which were deemed ‘ambitious’ at the time. On 25th April this year, it was announced this would be delayed again, and can now be expected in 2027. Postponement had already been met with anger and criticism, as had the failure to publish results of a consultation on the scheme. Campaigners have now expressed dismay at the prospect of another two year delay, although representatives of the recycling industry have stated their belief that the initiative should only be introduced when national waste stream processing is fit for purpose.
‘A deposit return scheme needs to work for the entire UK and fit within the recycling system we already have. This delay shows us that Defra is serious about prioritising the big ticket items that will accelerate the circular economy today, whilst laying the groundwork for future developments,’ said Gavin Graveson, Senior Executive Vice President Veolia Northern Europe Zone.
‘The extended producer responsibility scheme, for example, will be a gamechanger for the industry.
‘Packaging that is made to be recycled will be the cheapest choice for producers; a positive step for the environment, the economy and consumers,’ he continued. ‘The Plastic Packaging Tax is already in place but needs strengthening to stimulate end market demand for recycled materials. Combining these policies, with Simpler Recycling for England, will optimise the system and drive improvements. We all want to see more recycling in the UK and there are policies already in development that will help improve from recycling about 45% of the waste we produce, to more than 60% in the next few years. It’s about getting the right policies in place, in the right order to make the biggest impact.’
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