Commons Sense

House of Commons · General Debate

Plastics (Wet Wipes)

02 November 2021 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Fleur Anderson Lab Putney

Environment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Fleur Anderson raised concerns about plastics (wet wipes) in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.

Key points

  • Ms Anderson moved a Bill to prohibit the manufacture and sale of wet wipes containing plastic.
  • She cited environmental and health impacts, including marine pollution and human ingestion of microplastics.
  • Anderson noted economic costs due to sewer blockages caused by plastic-containing wet wipes.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Fleur Anderson Lab Putney

Ms Anderson moved a Bill to prohibit the manufacture and sale of wet wipes containing plastic, citing widespread support from various organisations including MPs across parties. She highlighted that while there is consensus on the need for action, there has been no actual ban despite previous promises by the government in 2018. The current solution proposed by the Government of additional charges on single-use plastics was deemed insufficient as it would burden families rather than polluters. Anderson emphasised the environmental and health impacts of plastic-containing wet wipes, noting their contribution to marine pollution and human ingestion of microplastics. She further pointed out the economic costs associated with sewer blockages caused by these products and stressed that alternatives like bio-degradable materials exist but need government support for widespread adoption. The Bill aims at a clear plan leading to a ban on plastic in wet wipes, which Anderson urged the Secretary of State to implement.

Other contributors (1)
  • Fleur Anderson Lab Putney

    The scale of the problem includes an increase from 1.7 to 18 wet wipes per 100 metres on beaches between 2005 and 2020, resulting in £100 million spent annually by water companies dealing with 300,000 sewer blockages caused largely by fat and wet wipes. Anderson visited Becton sewage treatment works where she saw 30 tonnes of unflushable material removed daily, mostly comprising wet wipes. She also mentioned the existence of plastic-free alternatives such as bamboo fibre and cellulose-based wipes being produced in the UK, suggesting that a ban on plastic-containing wet wipes would drive innovation and create jobs while preventing environmental harm.

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