- Environment Secretary has written to producers of ‘flushable’
wipes asking them to change how they label their products
- Between 2.1 - 2.9 billion wet wipes are dumped down UK
toilets each year*
- Wet wipes blockages cost water companies an annual £100m to
tackle
Government has stepped up
action to tackle harmful plastics and clean up our waterways by
challenging producers of wet wipes to address concerns over how
they label their products.
Environment Secretary Thérèse
Coffey has written to wet wipes producers setting out her
concerns about the number of wet wipes that are flushed down UK
toilets - between 2.1 - 2.9 billion each year – and has asked
them to reconsider the use of the word ‘flushable’ on packaging
to help prevent sewer blockages and water
pollution.
Wet wipes contribute to 94
percent** of sewer blockages, which can lead to damage to
properties and can result in sewage-related litter entering the
environment. It is estimated that water companies spend £100m
each year dealing with this. The Environment Secretary has told
producers that labels saying ‘flushable’ or ‘fine to flush’ may
encourage consumers to dispose of wipes down the toilet, rather
than disposing of them responsibly in the bin.
Wet wipes producers have now
been asked to set out how they will address these
concerns.
This week (26 May) Water
Minister attended a summit in Paris,
where the UK, alongside 52 other members of the High Ambition
Coalition (HAC) to End Plastic Pollution (HAC), has signed a
far-reaching Joint Ministerial Statement that calls for a range
of mandatory provisions to be included in the global plastic
pollution treaty, currently under negotiation.
Water Minister, said:
“It is vital that producers are
more transparent with their guidance on flushability, as
ultimately wet wipes that are dumped down the toilet can cause
damage to our environment and water quality.
“This is alongside the wider
action we’re taking on water quality, including tougher
enforcement for water companies, more investment and tighter
regulation to stop pollution happening in the first
place.”
This action follows on from
commitments made in the government’s Plan for Water to write to
producers and advertising authorities about using the word
‘flushable’ on wet wipes packaging.
The Plan for Water also
committed to a public consultation on the proposal to ban wet
wipes containing plastic, responding to public calls to tackle
the blight of plastic in our waterways and building on recent
action from major retailers including Boots and Tesco. The
government will work with industry and making sure plastic-free
alternatives are always available to the
public.
These plans build on our
previous efforts to eliminate avoidable plastic waste,
including:
·
One of the world’s toughest bans on microbeads in rinse-off
personal care products announced in 2018
·
Restrictions on the supply of single-use plastic straws, drink
stirrers and cotton buds in 2020.
·
Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022 – a tax of £200 per tonne on
plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into the UK, that
does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic.
Following the huge success of
the 5p single-use carrier bag charge, in May 2021 we also
increased the minimum charge to 10p and extended it to all
retailers, taking billions of bags out of circulation.
ENDS
Notes to
editors
* Figures according to research
done by Water UK
** Research suggests wet
wipes contribute to 94% of blockages and their prevalence at
wastewater treatment works (89% by weight and 65% by
number).