Thames Water urges public not to flush wipes as plastic ban announced
New regulations target pollution and sewer blockages caused by wet wipes
Thames Water is calling for the public to stop flushing wet wipes, urging everyone to avoid creating a "festive fatberg."
The company dealt with 74,000 blockages last year alone and removed an astonishing 3.8 billion wet wipes from its network, costing £41 million.
This comes as the Government bans the supply and sale of plastic wet wipes in England, aiming to tackle pollution, reduce blockages, and protect waterways.
A recent survey found an average of 20 wet wipes littering every 100 metres of beach. When flushed, these wipes break down into microplastics that harm wildlife and enter the food chain.
Tess Fayers, Director of Wastewater and Bioresources, said: “What we want to do is remind everybody that what we should be doing is just flushing the three P's. So that is pee, paper and poo, always a delightful topic. And to try to avoid things like flushing wet wipes.
“If you actually think about a domestic sewer, the width of it is typically about as wide as your mobile phone. So, it's not a very big asset and it doesn't take much to block it up.
“There is nothing worse than having sewage in your home. And the reality is if a blockage occurs and it backs up, it can come out into somebody's property. And that is a really upsetting experience and we wouldn't want anyone to go through that."
Sewer blockages and water bill impact
Wet wipes contribute to 94% of sewer blockages, according to UK Water Industry Research, costing water companies an estimated £200 million each year to fix. Often labelled flushable, even wipes without plastic can block drains and sewers.
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: "This ban will put an end to plastic wet wipes which choke our sewers, litter our beaches and poison wildlife.
"It’s another example of the government taking strong, decisive action to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas.
"But we all have a role to play. Every wet wipe flushed down the toilet risks blocking sewers, causing pollution and pushing up household bills. The solution is simple: bin wet wipes, don’t flush them."
Businesses adapt to the ban
As businesses prepare to align with the new rules by Spring 2027, retailers have begun taking proactive measures. Boots was among the first companies to stop selling plastic-containing wet wipes.
Steve Ager, Chief Customer and Commercial Officer at Boots, said: "Boots was proud to be one of the first retailers to remove all wipes containing plastic from sale in stores and online in 2023 as part of our long-standing commitment with suppliers and customers to reduce the use of plastics.
"We believe that healthy communities need a healthy planet, so we are pleased to see the government taking action, as a ban on wipes containing plastic will have a much bigger impact than retailers acting alone."
The government’s commitment to cleaning up waterways also involves reforming England’s water sector. Plans include improving drainage and wastewater management while preventing pollutants from entering sewerage systems.
While the law targets wet wipes containing plastic, further initiatives may follow to address wider environmental issues and protect wildlife.