Ban on the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic: Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment

Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment Template

1. Brief Summary

Type of proposal:

• Scottish Statutory Instrument

Name the proposal, and describe its overall aims and intended purpose.

The Scottish Government intends to ban the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic. The objective is to reduce this source of single-use plastic litter, and reduce the negative impacts posed if these items are incorrectly disposed of and arrive in the environment. To help tackle plastic waste, the four nations of the UK have already taken action on a number of single-use items, and a ban on wet wipes containing plastic will consolidate this work further.

A joint UK-wide public consultation on proposals to ban wet wipes containing plastic ran from 14 October to 25 November 2023^[1]. A joint government response was published on 22 April 2024^[2], alongside the Scottish Government announcement of the intention to introduce a ban on the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic^[3].

Alternatives to wet wipes containing plastic are widely available and several producers and retailers have already made voluntary commitments to stop producing or selling wet wipes that contain plastic.

Using evidence gathered through stakeholder engagement exercises and the public consultation, exemptions have been applied to the proposed regulations to mitigate equality concerns, in particular to medical and healthcare requirements, as well as to provide for specialised industrial uses.

Responses to the consultation indicated there are not yet viable plastic-free wet wipes for use in certain medical or industrial settings. Existing alternatives for specialised medical and industrial wipes are significantly more expensive, and therefore not viable for many businesses. Additionally, some responses cited a need for wet wipes containing plastic for medical care in household or care settings.

Therefore, an exemption for wet wipes containing plastic in medical / healthcare and industrial settings will be included in the regulations. An exemption to allow for these to be sold in pharmacies (to be requested from a pharmacist, and not on display) will ensure that all who have a genuine requirement for these wipes for medical or healthcare needs will still have access to them.

Start date of proposal’s development: 16 August 2023

Start date of CRWIA process: 16 July 2024

2. With reference given to the requirements of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, which aspects of the proposal are relevant to/impact upon children’s rights?

There are no aspects of the proposal which are deemed relevant to the UNCRC requirements. The ban has a clear purpose of environmental protection. The objective is to reduce wet wipes containing plastic as a source of single-use plastic litter, and reduce the negative impacts posed if these items are incorrectly disposed of and arrive in the environment.

3. Please provide a summary of the evidence gathered which will be used to inform your decision-making and the content of the proposal

Evidence from:

• existing research/reports/policy expertise
• consultation/feedback from stakeholders
• consultation/feedback directly from children and young people

As outlined above, a joint UK-wide public consultation on proposals to ban wet wipes containing plastic ran from 14 October to 25 November 2023. Consultation responses suggest that the public are strongly supportive of a ban and feel that plastic-free alternatives are suitable for their needs.

A joint government response was published on 22 April 2024. Following overwhelming support demonstrated through the consultation, the Scottish Government announced that Scotland intends to introduce a ban on the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic.

It is anticipated that there will still be significant choice for consumers. Alternatives to wet wipes containing plastic are widely available and several producers and retailers have already made voluntary commitments to stop producing or selling wet wipes that contain plastic. Stakeholder engagement has indicated that retailers have not received negative feedback from customers regarding alternative products to wet wipes that contain plastic.

In addition, evidence from work commissioned by the UK Government suggests that there is not a significant retail price difference between wet wipes that contain plastic and those that do not. Further detail is included in the Final Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment, which will be published alongside the legislation.

4. Further to the evidence described at ‘3’ have you identified any 'gaps' in evidence which may prevent determination of impact? If yes, please provide an explanation of how they will be addressed

Not applicable.

5. Analysis of Evidence

Not applicable.

6. What changes (if any) have been made to the proposal as a result of this assessment?

Not applicable.