Goodbye, Plastic Wet Wipes

In an effort to curb water pollution, wet wipes containing plastic are set to be banned in England.

This measure is part of a bigger initiative to clean the nation’s waters: as of now, no river nor waterway in England is considered to be “clean,” and wet wipes containing plastic end up in these bodies of water after being flushed down the toilet, rendering the problem worse.

Because the plastics do not break down, 93 percent of sewer blockages in England are considered to be caused by wet wipes – ultimately costing around £100 million per year. The ban on wet wipes containing plastic is set to come into force within the next year following a legally-required government consultation.