Ban on plastics in wet wipes must be enforced without delay

Responding to the government’s announcement of a consultation to ban the use of plastics in wet wipes, London Labour Assembly Member Leonie Cooper said:  

“It is about time the government finally woke up to the ecological damage that the plastic found in 90 per cent of wet wipes is doing to our environment.  

“The London Assembly's Environment Committee's 2018 report on ‘Single-Use Plastics: Unflushables’ called for a ban on wet wipes containing plastic. Five years later, the government finally gets it.  

“Plastic wet wipes are often flushed down the toilet and end up in our rivers and sewers, microplastics end up in the food chain as these are consumed by fish and other animals.   

“There are now so many in the River Thames, they have actually altered the course of the river and a 'wet wipe island' has been spotted near Hammersmith.  

“A promise of a consultation is positive but having sat on their hands on this for years, the government must enact the ban without any further delay.”