Wet wipe island: UK government considers plastic ban amid River Thames pollution fiasco

05 Jul 2022 --- The seemingly innocent wet wipes used for exfoliation, makeup removal and cleansing have made their way into the UK’s second longest river, the Thames, creating a swamp of plastic waste that has changed the river’s course. As a result of numerous wet wipe pollution cases in sewage and rivers, the UK parliament is considering a Plastics (Wet Wipes) Bill to “prohibit the manufacture and sale of wet wipes containing plastic, and connected purposes.”

“Beauty brands and shops should all be moving towards a complete ban on plastics in wet wipes,” Fleur Anderson MP, member of parliament for Putney and shadow paymaster general, tells PersonalCareInsights.

“Not only is it possible to manufacture wet wipes without plastic, non-plastic alternatives are on the market already.”

“There is a role here for everyone – government, beauty and personal care brands, retailers and consumers. It is both in what products we buy and how we behave in disposing of them,” Sarah Chibnall, CEO at McCormack Global, tells PersonalCareInsights.

Legislative wave
Anderson shares that she is not just campaigning for companies to take a stance on this issue, but for legislative change to ban the use of these materials.Anderson being shown the “wet wipe island.” Credit: Anderson.

“The majority of wet wipes are made of plastic and don’t disintegrate, ending up in water systems, hurting marine life and creating enormous costs and headaches for plumbing authorities to manage the situation. While many products globally are marketed and considered safe to flush, we see in reality the result is somewhat different,” adds Chibnall. 

“It has been years since the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced it would target plastic-containing wet wipes in its bid to eliminate all avoidable single use plastic within 25 years,” comments Anderson.

“Well, it’s COP26 this week and the Environment Bill is going through Parliament. This is the perfect opportunity to make good on that promise. Let’s ban plastic in wet wipes once and for all.”

To flush or not to flush?
Anderson, who filed the bill last year, shares that the UK consumes 11 billion wet wipes every year. 

“The disposal of single-use, non-degradable wet wipes is a growing problem and is a leading cause of harm for our water systems and our marine environments.” 

“These include make-up wipes, baby wipes, and cleaning wipes – which all contain non-degradable plastic which eventually become microplastics in our water.” 

Anderson explains that flushing the odd wet wipe may not seem like a big deal, but people don't realize the scale of the problem. “Just one sewage station in East London removes 30 metric tons of wet wipes every day.” 

“It isn’t just causing environmental damage and polluting our marine environments. It also costs water companies around £100 million (US$120 million) yearly to clear 300,000 blockages. That is money that ends up on our monthly water bills,” she continues.A majority of wet wipes are made of plastic and don’t disintegrate, hurting marine life and creating enormous costs, says Chibnall. 

Subsequently, the wet wipes have formed an “island” the size of two tennis courts which has also changed the course of the river, reports The Times of London. 

Wiping out plastic
In April this year, UK pharmacy chain Boots committed to banning all plastic-based wet wipes to reduce plastic use by the year’s end. It claimed to be one of the biggest sellers of wet wipes in the UK, with more than 140 lines across skincare, beauty, baby, tissue and health care categories. 

“We have already conducted a call for evidence on wet wipes, including the potential for banning those containing plastic. This is in addition to the action we have already taken to tackle plastics, including banning microbeads in rinse-off personal care products, restrictions on single-use plastic straws, stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds, and the 10 pence plastic bag charge,” shares Rebecca Pow, MP for Nature Recovery and the Domestic Environment. 

Additionally, Anderson’s plastic wet wipe ban campaign claims that 90% of the 11 billion wet wipes used in the UK annually contain some form of plastic. This causes microplastics to circulate within wild animals and humans.

“To avoid the detrimental effects of microplastics on nature and ourselves, we must replace conventional plastics with biodegrade materials and not leave permanent microplastics behind,” biodegradable packaging specialist Sulapac previously flagged.

“Out cry from consumers”
In May 2019, Holland and Barrett became the first high street retailer to ban wet wipes from its 800 UK and Ireland stores, shares Anderson. The health food retailer aimed to replace plastic-based wet wipes with environmentally friendly alternatives. 

“Companies need to take responsibility – there is an outcry from consumers, who are horrified by the impact of plastics in wet wipes and are desperate for more alternatives,” she adds.Bamboo fiber, organic cotton and washable and reusable cloth wipes are alternatives suggested by Anderson’s campaign. Credit: Anderson.

“We need all retailers to follow suit.”

In May 2019, Holland and Barrett reportedly became the first high street retailer to ban wet wipes from its 800 UK and Ireland stores. The health food retailer aimed to replace plastic-based wet wipes with environmentally friendly alternatives. 

The EarthWatch Institute finds that each day 9.3 million wet wipes, 700,000 panty liners, 2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million sanitary towels are flushed down the toilet in the UK alone. They suggest that even if wipes are marked as flushable or biodegradable, “bin it.” 

However, Chibnall says that Brian McCormack and McCormack Innovation have been working to develop and refine wet wipe technology and other products that are flushable without damaging the environment or creating financial burdens for governments and taxpayers. 

“Our fabric is fully certified and will biodegrade in a landfill in 7-14 days. The River Thames is a single manifestation of one of our biggest water challenges globally, and we must contribute positively to this space.” 

Global plastic reduction efforts
In related news, Clariant has introduced biodegradable Plantasens OP 95, a microplastic-free alternative to traditional acrylate opacifiers, which are considered microplastics and will be banned under the EU/EEA legislative proposal taking effect in 2022.Plastic pollution causes the annual death of 100 million marine animals, highlights Anderson’s campaign.

Dr. Thomas Lukowicz, application development manager at Clariant, previously told PersonalCareInsights that a proposal to restrict intentionally added microplastics in the EU was published in January 2019 by The European Chemicals Agency.

The river and plastic crisis comes as the UN recently declared an “ocean emergency.” Rivers eventually lead up to oceans, where waste that did not settle onto banks ends up in oceans. 

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres accused the “egoism” of some nations of blighting efforts to bring ocean-bound pollution under control through a global treaty similar to the one agreed upon this year on plastic pollution. 

Yesterday, India imposed a broad single-use plastics ban to combat pollution levels nationwide. Last year, the UK government launched a consultation to expand the single-use plastic ban in line with Europe.

By Venya Patel