G/TBT/N/GBR/84  
24 April 2024  
(24-3375) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED KINGDOM  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if diffe rent from above:   
UK TBT Enquiry Point  
Trade Policy Group  
Department for Business and Trade  
Old Admiralty Building  
London  
SW1A 2DY  
TBTEnquiriesUK@businessandtrade.gov.uk  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Beauty or 
make -up preparations and preparations for the care of the skin (other than 
medicaments), including sunscreen or suntan preparations; manicure or pedicure 
products. (CCCN 3304990 000) 
Organic surface -active agents (other than soap); surface -active preparations, washing 
preparations (including auxiliary washing preparations) and cleaning preparations, 
whether or not containing soap, other than those of heading 3401. (HS 3402)  
Insect icides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, anti -sprouting products and plant -
growth regulators, disinfectants and similar products, put up in forms or packings for 
retail sale or as preparations or articles (for example, sulphur -treated bands, wicks and  
candles, and fly -papers) HS 3808)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  The 
Environmental Protection (Wet Wipes Containing Plastic) (England) Regulations 2024; (18 
page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  These regulations introduce a ban on the supply and sale of 
wet wipes containing plastic. The draft legislation defines a wet wipe as 'a piece of pre -
moistened or pre -wetted non -woven material which is conceived, designed and placed on 
the market for single -use (disposable) and intended for personal care e.g., personal 
hygiene or domestic use e.g., household cleaning purposes. Prewetted wipes typically 
contain an impregnation liquid which has been added to the wipe before it is placed on 
the market.'  G/TBT/N/GBR/84  
 
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  These regula tions will apply to all businesses in England.  
These restrictions will not apply to:  
• The manufacture or import of wet wipes containing plastic.  
• Supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic, for the purpose of some business -
to-business sale, as specified  in the regulations.  
• The supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic by a retail pharmacy business, 
subject to conditions.  
• The supply of wet wipes containing plastic for use for medical purposes by or 
under the direction of a healthcare professional or  by a healthcare professional 
for medical purposes.  
Breach of these prohibitions will be an offence under the regulations. The regulations 
confer powers on enforcement authorities to impose civil sanctions, including monetary 
penalties and stop notices, in addition to criminal prosecution.  
The draft legislation provides a transition period of 18 months for businesses.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  The UK Government has committed to banning unnecessary single use 
plastic, where there are suitable alternatives by 2042.  
Wet wipes containing plastic are an unnecessary source of plastic and microplastic 
pollution, which recent evidence suggests may have significant impacts on plant, animal 
and hu man health. A 2021 research project  found that long microplastic fibres released 
into the environment could disrupt the health of the aquatic ecosystem ￼. Further 
research from the Water Industry [1]￼. 
Wet wipes containing plastic contribute to environmental harm through littering and being 
wrongly flushed, as well as through prod uction and disposal emissions.  
The proposed regulations are intended to reduce the use of wet wipes containing plastic, 
thereby reducing the amount of plastic entering the natural environment and the amount 
of microplastics entering the food chain and wate r treatment facilities.  
 
[1] Jieun Lee, Sanghyun Jeong and Kyu -Jung Chae: Discharge of microplastics fibres from 
wet wipes in aquatic and solid environments under different release conditions (20 21) 
Available at: 
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969721022142  (Accessed 
18 May 2023); Protection of human health or safety; Protection of animal or plant life or 
health; Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:   
Draft legislation: The Environmental Protection (Wet Wipes Containing Plastic) (England) 
Regulations 2024. (Attached)  
Summary of consultation responses and joint UK -wide government response on proposed 
ban on wet wipes containing plastic (pu blished April 2024)  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  September 2024  
Proposed date of entry into force:  March 2026  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  G/TBT/N/GBR/84  
 
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  11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations  
Department for Business and Trade  
Old Admiralty Building,  
London  
SW1A 2DY  
Email: TBTEnquiriesUK@businessandtrade.gov.uk  
Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department -for-business -and-
trade 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/TBT/GBR/24_02762_00_e.pdf