The UK Government says it intends to announce a call for evidence on “problematic plastics” this week, where future policy options that will be explored include a possible ban on wet wipes containing plastic to encourage the public to shift away from single-use items.
The development comes amid a growing public outcry over the pollution of British river and coastal waters, and demands for more decisive action to curb single-use plastics.
Another measure being considered is mandatory wet wipe labelling, to help consumers dispose of these items responsibly. The Government says it wants to shift responsibility in this area firmly onto manufacturers.
Single-use plastic plates, cutlery and expanded and extruded polystyrene cups are among a range of items that could be banned in England as part of a new public consultation being launched in the Autumn.
A Defra spokesperson said: “A Defra spokesperson said: “This will be the next step in our crackdown on single-use plastic, building on our existing bans on microbeads, cotton buds, plastic straws and stirrers, and our plastic bag charge – all of which have stopped tonnes of unnecessary plastic entering our environment.
“As the success of these recent measures have shown, this can be achieved without unfairly impacting on consumers – something we will be