The sale and supply of wet wipes containing plastic in Scotland will be banned next year, the Scottish Government has announced.
Wet wipes containing plastic are a common source of marine litter and can break down into microplastics over time.
There will be a transition period for businesses to prepare for the ban, with exemptions for medical and industrial uses, as well as business-to-business sales.
Members of the public who require specific wet wipes containing plastic for medical or healthcare reasons will also be able to request them from a pharmacy.
Commenting on the announcement, Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said: “This ban delivers on an important commitment made in our Marine Litter Strategy and builds on previous actions to ban unnecessary single-use plastic items such as plastic-stemmed cotton buds, plastic straws, cutlery and single-use vapes.”
“These policies are all proof of the progress we are making towards protecting our environment and creating a more circular economy.”
Martin also committed to continuing to call on the UK Government to address ‘misleading claims’ on product packaging, which she claims can lead to incorrect disposal of items like wet wipes.
A ban on wet wipes containing plastic will be introduced in all four UK nations after a UK-wide consultation in 2023 found overwhelming public support for the proposals, with 95% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing to the move.
Wet wipes will be banned in Wales from December 2026, while Northern Ireland and England will introduce their bans in 2027.
In 2022, high-street chemist Boots is stopping sales of all wet wipes that contain plastic fibres and replacing them with plant-based, biodegradable options.
