Plastic wet wipes ban legislation support

Scottish Water has welcomed the fact wet wipes containing plastic will be banned in Lanarkshire to help protect the environment.

New legislation will be brought forward across all four UK nations and is expected to be ready in Scotland by the end of the year, with the ban taking effect 18 months later, in mid-2026.

Public support for a ban was demonstrated through Scottish Water customer analysis of its Nature Calls campaign and Scottish Government consultation, with 95 per cent of people agreeing that wet wipes made with plastics should be banned.

Over 3000 customers signed Scottish Water’s call for a ban, along with various stakeholders including the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the Marine Conservation Society and Zero Waste Scotland.

Simon Parsons, director of environment, planning and assurance for Scottish Water, said:“Nature Calls has led the way in demanding a ban on wet wipes made with plastic and we are delighted to see this progress on bringing forward new laws to prevent their sale and use.

“This will have a significant positive impact on our country’s sewers and our water environments so people can enjoy them without encountering the source of sewage related debris.”

Alex Plant, Scottish Water’s chief executive, added:“Scottish Water has worked with a range of organisations, including Water UK, the Marine Conservation Society and Surfers Against Sewage, as well as local campaign groups and elected representatives, to tackle this issue. I am sure news of the ban will be welcomed by all.”

Scottish Water and NHS Scotland have teamed up to share wet wipe disposal messaging through its operations and sites, with the NHS one of the biggest users of wipes in the UK.

Nature Calls also features on operational signage and street stencils when teams are out clearing blockages in hot spot areas; visit www. scottishwater.co.uk to find out further details.