The sale of wet wipes containing plastic has been banned by the UK government. Wipes discharged into rivers with untreated sewage can accumulate pollutants and break down into harmful microplastics. In a 2015-20 survey, on average 20 wipes were found per 100m of beach across the UK. Retailers have 18 months to comply with the law.
Angling Trust has welcomed the legislation but urges the government to address problems caused by non-plastic wipes that block sewers and “persist in the environment”. It says labelling should change, removing terms like “flushable” that “encourage harmful consumer behaviour”.