Ban on wet wipes containing plastic unveiled to help UK rivers

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Wet wipes containing plastic are finally to be banned across the UK, with ministers warning that “step change” is needed to protect the country's rivers.

The long-awaited announcement comes after a campaign against the products which have been blamed for causing hundreds of thousands of blockages in the UK's sewage system, costing millions of books per year.

Manufacturers have also been criticized for discarded wipes increasingly littering Britain's beaches.

Under plans to be presented by Environment Secretary Steve Barclay, It will become illegal to sell or supply wet wipes which contain plastic.

But Labor said the move did not go far enough and called for a total ban on the manufacture of wet wipes plastic.

Mr. Barclay said the move would be a “step change… to protect our waterways from pollution”.

But shadow environment secretary Steve Reed accused ministers of failing to deliver on their commitment.

He said: “Plastic wet wipes are blocking our drains, killing wildlife and causing sewage to back up into homes.

“The Tories have broken their promises to 'act and are too. weak to ban them outright."

Labor also accused the Conservatives of delaying long after the party first promised to ban wet wipes in 2018, as part of a wider crackdown on plastics.

The ban follows a consultation late last year, which showed overwhelming public support for the move.

A previous consultation, in 2021, also found that more than 90% of people supported a ban.

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Some companies such as Boots, Aldi and Tesco have already decided to ban wet wipes containing plastic from their stores.

Steve Ager, of Boots, said: "We are pleased to see the Government taking action now as the ban on all wet wipes containing plastic will have a much greater impact than if retailers acted alone.