Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has held recent discussions with manufacturers of wet wipes on (a) tackling fatbergs and (b) protecting waterways.
The incorrect disposal of wet wipes can cause sewer blockages and environmental damage. Wipes often combine with fats, oil, and grease, which are also often disposed into drains, to form fatbergs. My officials are working to assess the effects of wet wipes containing plastic on sewers and the environment and identify possible solutions.
Defra also continues to encourage the water industry and wet wipes manufacturers to work together to raise consumer awareness about the appropriate disposal of wet wipes and other non-flushable products. This will be crucial for generating meaningful behavioural change with consumers and customers.