NO WET WIPES, crack down by UK GOV in plan to stop water pollution

THE UK government are cracking down on water companies and are looking to enforce tougher penalties for polluters, meaning that wet wipes could be banned to stop them from clogging sewage pipes, writes The Sun, Tuesday April 4.

Wet wipes have become an essential product for parents with young families, but sadly they are not kind to the environment as 90 per cent of them contain plastic.

Eleven billion are reportedly thrown away every year in the UK.

Advertising watchdogs have been asked by the government to challenge firms who say their wipes are flushable when many are not.

Under the new rules companies will be ordered to carry out tests to prove their claims. The only exception will be plastic-free wipes which do break down.

Companies such as Boots and Tesco have led the way and have already banned ­plastic-based wipes in an effort to stop minute plastic particles from entering the water system.

New plans are set to be revealed by Environment Secretary Therese Coffey, including a ban on chemicals which are also harmful to the water network.

Firms that pollute waterways with sewage will now face unlimited fines, rather than the previous fine which was capped at £250,000.

Any cash will be reinvested back into waterways, with more checks and tougher targets

Ms Coffey said yesterday, ‘Our rare chalk streams and world-famous coastlines, lakes and rivers are hugely important to local communities and to nature.

‘I completely understand the concerns that people have about the health and resilience of our waters, which is why I am setting out this plan for a truly national effort to protect and improve them

‘That includes higher penalties taken from water company profits which will be channelled back into the rivers, lakes and streams where it is needed.

‘This is not straightforward, but I take this issue extremely seriously and things need to change. That’s why we have developed this plan and we are committed to delivering the progress that people want to see.’

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