Ban on the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic: Island Communities Impact Assessment

1. Develop a clear understanding of your objectives

What are the objectives of the policy?

The Scottish Government intends to ban the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic, with exemptions for medical and industrial uses. A ban would contribute to the Scottish Government’s vision of a ‘clean, healthy, safe, productive, and biologically diverse marine and coastal environment that meets the long term needs of people and nature’.

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. Wet wipes containing plastic do not fully disintegrate in water or in the sewerage system if they are flushed down the toilet. If these wipes arrive in the environment they are a persistent and problematic source of marine litter, as well as a source of microplastic pollution. The Scottish Government considers that the reduced risk of harm that would result from this ban will potentially provide environmental benefits for the marine ecosystem as a whole, the species and habitats contained within, and benefits to water quality. The entire country would benefit from these positive outcomes, from the islands to the mainland, and both rural and urban areas.

Do you need to consult?

Yes. A joint UK-wide public consultation on proposals to ban wet wipes containing plastic was hosted by Defra, and 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^[3] of our intention to introduce a ban on the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic. All four UK nations will implement a ban on the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic. The consultation demonstrated that there is strong support for a ban, with over 93% of respondents supporting a ban on the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic.

1,561 responses to the consultation were received through the survey hosted on Citizen Space and via email, from individual members of the public, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and businesses. The UK Government (Defra) has conducted individual engagement interviews and stakeholder group sessions with relevant businesses prior to, during, and following the consultation period, including those based in Scotland. These included manufacturers and retailers, as well as industry representative bodies. A wide range of producers have engaged with the process. The consultation responses and stakeholder feedback have all provided useful information and evidence which has fed into the legislation and the final impact assessments, including this ICIA.

Prior to this consultation, several public engagement exercises had been run on the subject of wet wipes, demonstrating wide engagement and that the issue has long been in the national consciousness.

In October 2020 the Scottish Government launched a public consultation on items listed under Article 5 of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive. Responses from this consultation supported the development of legislation banning some of the most problematic single-use plastic products. It became an offence to manufacture and supply single-use plastic cutlery, drink stirrers, plates, and polystyrene cups and food containers, and an offence to supply single-use plastic straws and balloon sticks^[4]. Responses also provided evidence for further policy development, with 94% in favour of market restrictions on additional single-use plastic products, including wet wipes containing plastic^[5].

In Defra’s 2021 public Call for Evidence on commonly littered single-use plastic items, 96% of respondents supported a potential ban on wet wipes containing plastic. Defra published a response to the Call for Evidence in February 2023^[6].

In September 2022, we published our updated Marine Litter Strategy and Action Plan^[7], following a public consultation. An action under Strategic Direction 2 states the intention to ‘Investigate the potential for legislation to ban the manufacture and sale of wet wipes containing plastic, with a requirement that any alternatives do not impact on the environment’.

How are islands identified for the purpose of the policy?

The proposed ban will cover the whole of Scotland. It addresses an issue relevant to the whole of the country, whether the mainland or the islands. The intention of the ban is to reduce plastic litter and microplastic pollution from this single-use plastic item, reducing risk of harm to the marine environment, human health, and water quality. All of which will be of benefit to the whole of Scotland, irrespective of location or island status.

What are the intended impacts/outcomes and how do these potentially differ in the islands?

The incorrect disposal of wet wipes containing plastic via the sewage system, or through littering, results in plastic litter and microplastic pollution entering our waters. This poses potential risks to human health, wildlife, and the wider environment.

The intended outcome of this legislation 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. The outcome of a ban on wet wipes containing plastic does not differ in the islands compared with the mainland.

Is the policy new?

Yes, this policy is new. Scotland has introduced bans on other plastic products in recent years, and a ban on wet wipes containing plastic will add to the suite of legislation around plastic products which brings benefits to all parts of the country. In 2018, a ban on the manufacture and sale of rinse-off personal care products containing plastic microbeads was introduced^[8]. In 2019, a ban on the manufacture and sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds^[9], and as aforementioned, in 2022, a ban on single-use plastic food and beverage products were introduced. A ban on the supply and sale of single-use vapes is forthcoming^[10].