Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking with manufacturers to improve the labelling of wet wipes to avoid them being flushed into the sewers and becoming a marine pollutant.

The Government agrees it is important that people receive the information they need to dispose of the personal and cleaning products they buy in the most appropriate way to minimise their impact on the environment.

The Minister for the Environment and Rural Life Opportunities has written to leading manufacturers and retailers of wet wipes and other products that should not be flushed into the sewer system, to encourage them to work closely with water and sewerage companies on this issue, and on the information provided to customers on product packaging. While the packaging of some such products makes clear that they should not be flushed into the sewer system, others do not.

The Minister for the Environment and Rural Life Opportunities plans to hold a meeting with leading manufacturers, retailers and water companies to discuss the matter further.