Wet wipes containing plastic will be banned in Britain to reduce marine litter

Wet wipes containing plastic will be banned across Britain to reduce marine litter.

The supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic will be banned following overwhelming support during the public consultation, with 95% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing with the proposals.

Measures were set out in a joint response from all four UK countries published on Monday, including a transition period for businesses to help them prepare.

The Scottish Government said the ban continues its history of reducing plastic litter, including introducing a carrier bag charge in 2014, banning plastic stemmed cotton buds in 2019 and banning single-use plastic food products in 2022. .

Scottish ministers will introduce regulations by the end of 2024, with the ban coming into force 18 months later, although several stores have stopped selling them.

Wet wipes containing plastic are not biodegradable and persist for many years, harming nature and the environment, and are a source of microplastic pollution.

According to Defra Beach Litter Monitoring Data, an average of 20 wet wipes were found per 100 meters of beach in the UK between 2015 and 2020.

Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity Lorna Slater said: “I am pleased to confirm today that the Scottish Government will ban wet wipes containing plastic.

“These items are a problematic source of marine litter and threaten the health of our environment and wildlife.

“This ban follows on from an important commitment made in our Marine Litter Strategy and builds on previous actions to ban unnecessary single-use plastic items such as plastic stemmed cotton buds and plastic straws and cutlery.

“These policies are all testament to the progress Scotland is making in protecting our environment, and all contribute to our journey towards a circular economy.”

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