A bill to ban plastics in wet wipes has had its first reading in the House of Commons after being introduced by Labour MP Fleur Anderson, who said manufacturers, not water customers, should pay for the pollution they cause.
Anderson told Utility Week she wants a ban to force manufacturers to move away from plastics faster and reduce blockages in sewage networks.
Blockages from wet wipes cost wastewater companies around £100 million annually, which ultimately is paid by billpayers.
After visiting Thames Water’s wastewater treatment plant Beckton, Anderson witnessed first-hand the 30 tonnes of wet wipes that are removed daily from the filtration system.
“It’s wrong that the wet wipe industry is a huge growing industry making huge profits but they don’t pay any of the cost at the other end. Water companies have to pay and pass on to us in our bills,” she said.
“There should be a polluter pays principle to this. If they had to step up and pay because of the consequences of plastics in wet wipes it would force them to innovate more, switch production and to move faster to end the use of plastics.”
Anderson was a member of the Environment Bill committee that attempted to add an amendment to address wet wipes.
Despite the omission from the Environment Bill, there will be scope for secondary legislation under the powers of the Office of Environmental Protection when it is established, she explained.
Anderson said the manufacturing industry has raised concerns that some products used in medical environments require plastic in wipes, but she believes a ban would spur the development of alternatives.
“The industry has told me it wants to aim to have plastic free wipes and has begun phasing out plastic but this is very patchy with some companies doing more or less than others. It’s very unclear when the deadline date would be for this so a ban would help to give a firm date with a plan for reduction until that date. That’s the only way we can ensure it would happen.”
Retailers Holland & Barrett and the Body Shop have committed to stop selling wipes with plastic in and Sainsbury is removing plastic from its own-brand wipes.
“They’ve shown it’s possible and affordable to do at scale and I hope others will follow suit,” Anderson said. “Everyone can do their part to cut their use of wipes and to see them as a single-use plastic, which at the moment most people don’t.”
George Eustice, secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, has promised to host a consultation on the issue.