Majority of Brits oppose potential wet wipe ban

More than half (59%) of Brits are against the proposed Government wet wipe ban.

31% of people questioned by drain supplier Lanes for Drains also admitted to flushing wet wipes down the toilet, despite 75% of people stating they were “quite aware” or “very aware” of the dangers associated, including drain blockages, waterway pollution, ocean contamination and killing marine life.

Non-biodegradable wipes contribute to 93% of the materials in sewer blockages, known as fatbergs, in Britain, and are estimated to cause around 300,000 blockages a year, costing roughly £100 million to fix.

Wet wipes should “never be flushed down the toilet, even if they say ‘flushable’ on the packaging”, said Michelle Ringland, head of marketing at Lanes for Drains, Earlier this year, more than 5,000 wet wipes were found in an a 1,250sq ft area of the Thames foreshore by charity Thames21.