Wet wipes containing plastic are set to be banned from the UK, environment secretary Steve Barclay announced today.
The new law will make it illegal in England to sell wet wipes with plastic in them. It will be rolled out to the rest of the UK in autumn.
The legislation will be introduced before parliament's summer recess begins in July.
Jane Martin, chief executive of environmental organisation City To Sea, welcomed the move.
Speaking to Sky News, she said: ‘It's a positive step forward to see the Government take definitive action on banning this pollutant, but action must not end there.
‘The Government should now look to tackle all single-use plastic products through further bans and mandated reuse and refill targets.’