Customers urged to bin all wet wipes to help protect the environment

United Utilities is reminding people to bin wipes and only flush the 3Ps – pee, poo, and paper – to stop sewers from clogging up.

The reminder comes as the Government today signed into law a ban on the sale of plastic wet wipes.

Wet wipes containing plastic break down into microplastics over time. Whether used for household cleaning, make-up removal or baby care, flushing wet wipes can cause harm to the environment.

Wipes can also combine with other flushed items in the pipes and sewers, causing fatbergs, blocked and burst pipes, flooding and sewage leaks in homes and businesses.

Andy Peet, Wastewater Network Protection Manager at United Utilities, said: “Flushing wet wipes can cause huge problems in our network and to the environment. So far this year we’ve cleared more than 14,000 blockages caused by flushed wet wipes and cooking fats and fatty food waste.

“Wipes and other items can block pipes leading to sewers overflowing and flooding homes and gardens, which can have a huge impact on people. We don’t want our customers to experience this, but it can be prevented if people simply bin the wipes and not flush them down the toilet.”

He added: “Over the last five years we have also been engaging with customers across the region on how they can help to ‘Stop the Block’ in our network by disposing of wet wipes and cooled cooking fats and oils in the bin – the two top causes of blockages across the sewer network.

“Customers have responded positively to our campaign messages and it’s encouraging to see a 27% reduction in blockages over the five years.”

To learn more about how to prevent blockages, visit Stop the Block | United Utilities.