Brit move on wet wipes may flush Down Under

New Zealand’s Ministry for the Environment is weighing up its options following the British Government’s announcement that it plans to ban wet wipes.

Wet wipes are the bane of many sewerage systems around the world. The hygiene products, used for tasks such as wiping babies’ bottoms and eye make-up removal, often contain nonbiodegradable plastics, which means they do not break down as toilet paper does.

Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage said she would ‘‘follow the United Kingdom’s initiatives closely’’.

‘‘The Ministry for the Environment is looking at options to reduce harmful waste in New Zealand, including singleuse plastics as part of this Government’s commitment to reduce waste,’’ she said.

The BBC reported that wet wipes were behind 93 per cent of blockages in British sewers.

Britain’s department for environment, food and rural affairs said wipes containing plastics would be banned by 2025 in an effort to stop them from blocking sewers, harming marine life and damaging riverbeds.

‘‘We are continuing to work with manufacturers and retailers of wet wipes to make sure labelling on packaging is clear and people know how to dispose of them properly,’’ a spokesperson said. Parents in Britain were not pleased about the announcement.

Many parents and some charities said the wipes were blameless – it was the fault of people who chose to flush them.

But manufacturers wanting to sell wet wipes in Britain after 2025 will either need to develop plastic-free wipes or parents and other consumers will have to make do without the product.

Sage said the ministry did not hold statistics on the impact of, or number of, fatbergs across the country.

Manufacturers should consider designing products that could either be reused, recycled or safely composted, she said.

‘‘In the case of wet wipes, these