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A construction worker at the launch of the first mass wet wipe removal from a UK river, organised by Thames Water to clear the 'Wet Wipe Island' on the River Thames near Hammersmith Bridge, west London, August 11, 2025
ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners hailed a new law which will ban the sale of plastic wet wipes today.
A growing source of pollution, an average of 20 wet wipes litter every 100 metres of beach, a recent government survey showed.
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said the ban, due to come into force in spring 2027, “will put an end to plastic wet wipes which choke our sewers, litter our beaches and poison wildlife.”
River Action CEO James Wallace called it a “vital step toward cleaner, healthier waterways.”
He warned however that it is partial, and that “these pollutants will still be available in the health sector, pharmacies, online and in hotels.
“The only way to end the harm is a full ban on plastic wet wipes and an end to flushing biodegradable ones.
“Plastic or not, our waterways must never be treated as dumping grounds for throwaway products.”
