UK Plastic Wet Wipes Consultation

A significant UK wide consultation was launched on October 16, 2023 entitled "Consultation on the proposed ban of the manufacture, supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic - October 2023". It is significant because the consultation is "UK wide" (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). Thus, this contrasts with the usual devolved nature of environmental issues within the UK. The consultation runs for a six week period and closes on 25th November.

I would urge individuals and organisations with an interest in the wet wipes industry to respond to the consultation as it raises some interesting questions such as the definition of plastic and should exemptions be made from any proposed ban on manufacture, supply or sale of plastic containing wet wipes that are used in e.g. hospitals and have certain clinical and/or medical uses”?

I have put some thoughts down on paper. In particular looking at section two of the consultation document. I take a view that the UK should learn from the experience of the European Union who also looked at the issues relating to single use wet wipes when they drafted Directive 2019/904 referred to as the Single Use Plastics Directive and of greater relevance the "guidelines document" to the Single use plastics Directive. My view is that the Directive and the associated guidelines are a good starting point for the UK Government and devolved administrations. However, the UK needs to look to the future and not present barriers to future innovation. Innovation needs to factored into any legislative proposal.

Plastics are not "bad materials", over the past seventy years they have proven to be exceptionally useful materials for mankind. There are issues relating to appropriate disposal of wet wipes and in particular the inappropriate flushing of non-flushable wet wipes down the toilet in the home environment. Appropriate, mandatory labelling on packaging and a partnership of stakeholders (wipes manufacturers, brand owners, retailers and water authorities and the devolved administrations) with a goal of educating users about appropriate disposal of used wet wipes would be useful outcomes.

There needs to be some exemptions from this proposed ban – not least the use of plastic containing wet wipes within healthcare and industrial settings (“professional use”). I have provided some detail as to why I believe that these professional wet wipes should be exempt from any proposed ban.

The full article can be downloaded here