Ban on the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic: Final Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment

Footnotes

1 Consultation on the proposed ban of the manufacture supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic - Defra - Citizen Space

2 Wet wipes containing plastic: joint government response following consultation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

3 The Environmental Protection (Microbeads) (England) Regulations 2017, The Environmental Protection (Microbeads) (Wales) Regulations 2018, The Environmental Protection (Microbeads) (Scotland) Regulations 2018, and The Environmental Protection (Microbeads) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019

4 The Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)

5 The Environmental Protection (Plastic Plates etc. and Polystyrene Containers etc.) (England) Regulations 2023

6 The Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Act 2023

7 Bin the Wipe | Water UK

8 Introducing market restrictions on single-use plastic items in Scotland – analysis of consultation responses (www.gov.scot)

9 Summary of responses and government response - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

10 Public urged to bin ‘harmful’ wet wipes as over a fifth admit to flushing down the toilet | Water UK

11 Wet wipes containing plastic: joint government response following consultation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

12 A review of four large retailers found that the lowest priced baby wipes at all four retailers are already plastic-free

13 Wet wipes containing plastic: joint government response following consultation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

14 Wet wipes containing plastic: joint government response following consultation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

15 Assessment of Wet Wipes Placed on the UK Market - WT15169

16 The Uniqueness of our EPIC Database (valpak.co.uk)

17 Four Trends Shaping The Future Of Nonwoven Wipe Demand | Nonwovens Industry (nonwovens-industry.com)

18 How much planned care in England is delivered and funded privately? | Nuffield Trust

19 Population estimates for the UK, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

20 Based on employee numbers, which they were asked to provide with their response.

21 Plastic-free wipes already dominate the UK market - we're ready for the ban on plastic wipes! - Nice-Pak International

22 Business population estimates - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

23 Note that due to missing data at the 4-digit SIC level, 3-digit SICs were used for this estimate

24 Business population estimates - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

25 Business population estimates - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

26 Through assessing free text consultation responses by wet wipe producers, the two most significant barriers to transitioning to plastic-free wipes appears to be reduced competitiveness on international markets in the event of a ban on manufacture of wet wipes containing plastic for export, and the inability to produce suitable alternatives to wet wipes containing plastic for specialist business and health usage. The final design of the regulations (with exemptions for business-to-business / medical wipes and ban only on supply and sale to UK consumers) should help mitigate these barriers and enable businesses to make the transition.

27 Costs and benefits accruing outside the UK are not in scope of this BRIA.

28 Assessment of Wet Wipes Placed on the UK Market - WT15169

29 Non-financial business economy, UK regional results: Sections A to S - Office for National Statistics

30 The Single Use Carrier Bags Charges (England) Order 2015 (legislation.gov.uk)

31 Earnings and hours worked, industry by four-digit SIC: ASHE Table 16 - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

32 A review of four large retailers found that the lowest priced baby wipes at all four retailers are already plastic-free

33 Assessment of wet wipes placed on the market in the UK, Valpak, 2022 (unpublished)

34 Plastic-free wipes already dominate the UK market - we're ready for the ban on plastic wipes! - Nice-Pak International