Plastic wet wipes to be banned in Wales from 2026

Plastic wet wipes will be banned in Wales to reduce environmental harm following a vote in the Senedd.

From December 2026, it will be an offence to supply wet wipes containing plastic to customers.

A motion was passed in a plenary session of all 60 members, with no objections, making Wales the first UK nation to implement the ban.

There will be an exemption for medical-grade wipes and the ban does not extend to business-to-business.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said the vote was another step towards reducing the environmental harm caused by plastic and microplastic pollution.

The regulations add plastic wet wipes to a 2023 law prohibiting a list of single-use plastic products.

Irranca-Davies said the impact of wet wipe pollution is tangible, and it is long-lasting.

"Taking decisive action will encourage manufacturers, retailers and consumers of the need to continue our shift towards reusable and non-plastic products," he said.

He told Senedd members the ban will not extend to business-to-business supply, only covering supply to consumers as with other single-use plastics.

"Wet wipes for specific industrial use, where plastic-free alternatives are unsuitable or do not exist, are not included," he added.

"But we will encourage these sectors to innovate."

He added there was an exemption for medical-grade wet wipes that do contain plastic which are designed or manufactured for use in medical care or treatment.

There is an 18-month transition period that will allow manufacturers time to adapt their business, as he welcomed the cross-party support for the ban.

Conservative MS Janet Finch-Saunders welcomed the move and said wipes continue to contribute to a significant number of sewage blockages, causing overspills.

Research from Cardiff University found wet wipes posed a "significant risk" to the environment in Wales, with as much as 100kg (220lb) of them entering the lower reaches of the River Taff, in Cardiff, each year.

Thomas Allison, a PhD researcher at Cardiff University's Water Research Institute, said: "Despite widespread public knowledge against the flushing of wet wipes, improper disposal remains a persistent issue.

"We need to thoroughly assess the environmental risks created by these flushed wipes. To do so, we need to know the quantities likely to enter river systems.

"Preventing the flushing of wet wipes is a key mitigation strategy, but understanding their transport through wastewater systems is essential for developing further targeted solutions."

While the Welsh government is the first to approve a ban, the decision is the latest in a long-running discussion on wet wipe bans across the UK over the past few years.

Scottish Water previously called for a ban on plastic wet wipes, which it said was causing the vast majority of blockages.

Between 14 October and 25 November 2023, the administrations in each of the four nations jointly consulted on the proposed ban of the manufacture, supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic. A total of 1461 responses were received, 104 from Wales, and a strategy to implement the ban within 18 months was agreed.

The administrations in Scotland and Northern Ireland have previously announced their intention to ban wipes in line with this proposed UK-wide policy.

Last year, the previous Conservative UK government committed to a roll-out of the ban and enforcement measures - but progress on this was halted by the general election.

There is now pressure on the current UK government to "urgently" revisit the ban.