Scotland is being urged to bin all wipes – and ban wipes containing plastic - in a major new campaign to help protect the environment.
Scottish Water is asking the public to avoid sewer blockages, flooding, and pollution by consigning wipes to the bin.
And it’s also calling on governments north and south of the border to ban wipes made with plastic.
The new campaign – Nature Calls – is backed by a range of other organisations, including the Marine Conservation Society, Keep Scotland Beautiful and Zero Waste Scotland.
Last year more than 10,000 tonnes of material was removed from Scotland’s waste water plants. Many thousands of tonnes more ended up blocking sewers, causing flooding, or being flushed into rivers during storms and heavy rain.
Research by the Marine Conservation Society shows that wipes are now the most common cause of beach pollution.
Wipes are an understandable convenience item - but many contain plastic. That causes serious problems when disposed of inappropriately by flushing down the toilet; blocked sewers, homes flooded with sewage, and pollution on our beaches and rivers.
Every year Scottish Water deals with around 36,000 blockages at a cost of £7 million to clear. Around 80% of blockages feature wipes.
Members of the public, communities, campaigners, manufacturers, retailers and governments must all work together to do the right thing for nature now and the generations to come.
I’m pictured with Adam Zyndul, Policy Advisor, Scottish Water.
