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

6. Making adjustments to your work

Should delivery mechanisms/mitigations vary in different communities?

No additional mechanisms or mitigations are required as a result of a ban on wet wipes containing plastic.

Do you need to consult with island communities in respect of mechanisms or mitigations?

No additional mechanisms or mitigations are required, therefore no additional consultation will be required.

Have island circumstances been factored into the evaluation process?

Yes. Island interests are represented within the members of the Marine Litter Strategy Steering Group, which oversees and evaluates actions within the Marine Litter Strategy. The ban on wet wipes containing plastic is contained as an action within the Strategy.

Have any island-specific indicators/targets been identified that require monitoring?

There are no island-specific indicators or targets that are required.

How will outcomes be measured on the islands?

Following the introduction of regulations banning the manufacture and sale of plastic stemmed cotton buds in 2019, beach cleaning data has shown that the number of these items being found on beaches across Scotland has begun to decline.

Through their engagement with Scottish Government and with other organisations, the Scottish Islands Federation Marine Litter Working Group has worked to increase beach cleaning activity on islands, with an increase in data gathered in 2023. This data will be used alongside the Scotland-wide data collected on beach litter, and can be used to monitor changes in numbers of wet wipes found on Scottish beaches following the implementation of the ban.

Regional trend data analyses by Marine Directorate can be used to demonstrate changes of numbers of wet wipes found on Scottish beaches over time.

How has the policy, strategy or service affected island communities?

The main objective of the ban 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. This aim applies to the whole of Scotland, for both mainland and island locations.

How will lessons learned in this ICIA inform future policy making and service delivery?

Information from engagement with island representatives and responses to the consultation have been incorporated into this policy and this ICIA. Engagement with the Scottish Islands Federation and other island representatives will continue, on this subject and on others, and in any future evaluation of the ban. A ban on wet wipes containing plastic will not impact island communities in differing ways to the mainland of Scotland.