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On 18 November 2025, the UK government enacted the Environmental Protection (Wet Wipes Containing Plastic) (England) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025 No. 1218). These regulations are designed to prohibit the supply or offer to supply wet wipes containing plastic to end users in England. The regulations will come into force on 19 May 2027.

Under the regulations, any ‘business’ supplying wet wipes to end users in England will be barred from offering or supplying products that fall within the definition of ‘wet wipes containing plastic’. The definition of ‘plastic’ used aligns with the polymer definition in Article 3(5) of REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006.

Key Exemptions

The regulations include several exemptions:

• Supplies made by registered pharmacies (or via online/distance selling by a retail pharmacy business) are exempt provided that certain conditions are met (for example: the wipes must not be visible to customers in-store unless requested).
• Supplies for medical purposes by or under the direction of a healthcare professional, or NHS appliance contractors, are exempt.
• Supplies to businesses or local authorities (rather than end users) are also exempt.

Enforcement and Sanctions

The regulations establish both criminal offences and civil sanctions. Contravention of the supply ban constitutes an offence, punishable by a fine on summary conviction.
In addition, local authorities are empowered to use a range of civil sanctions, including fixed monetary penalties (starting at £200 for specified offences), compliance notices, stop notices, enforcement undertakings, and penalties for non-compliance.
Regulators have powers of entry, inspection, sampling and testing to enforce the Regulations.

Review Mechanism

The Secretary of State is required to carry out a review of the enforcement regime within three years of the Regulations’ coming into force and conduct further reviews of the regulatory provisions every five years thereafter. A report to Parliament must be submitted after each review.

Impact and Significance

These regulations represent a significant step in the UK’s efforts to reduce plastic pollution, particularly from single-use items that contribute to micr-plastic contamination in the environment. The prohibition targets a class of consumer goods (wet wipes), which has been identified as a recurring source of plastic litter, blocked sewer systems and harm to wildlife.

The lead-in time for manufacturers, importers and retailers of wet wipes (until 19 May 2027) allows for the adjustment of product formulations or the transition to alternative materials. Businesses will need to scrutinise their product supply chains, labelling and marketing practices to ensure compliance.

Pharmacies and medical supply chains benefit from the exemptions, reflecting the necessary medical function of certain wipes. Local authorities will assume an important role in monitoring compliance and publishing information about enforcement actions.

According to the Explanatory Note, a full impact assessment of the effect on businesses and the voluntary sector has been published alongside the Regulations.

What to Watch

Industry stakeholders should look out for the following:

• Reformulation of wet wipe products to eliminate “plastic” as defined by the Regulations.
• Supply chain audits to identify any legacy stock that may become unsaleable after 19 May 2027.
• Guidance issued by regulators on the use of civil sanctions, and the expected standards for compliance notices and stop notices.
• The first review report, due no later than May 2030, which may lead to amendments or further regulatory action.

On 4 November 2025, the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched a public consultation on its draft recommendation to include three substances in Annex 14 (the Authorisation List) of UK REACH. This is the first time that substances have been proposed for inclusion in the Authorisation List since the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Three Substances Proposed for Inclusion

The three substances prosed for inclusion are:

• 2-ethylhexyl 10-ethyl-4,4-dioctyl-7-oxo-8-oxa-3,5-dithia-4-stannatetradecanoate (DOTE) (CAS No. 15571-58-1)
• *Reaction mass of DOTE and 2-ethylhexyl 10-ethyl-4-[[2-[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]-2-oxoethyl]thio]-4-octyl-7-oxo-8-oxa-3,5-dithia-4-stannatetradecanoate (MOTE)
• Tetraethyl lead (TEL) (CAS No. 78-00-2)

All three substances are classified as toxic to reproduction under Article 57(c) of UK REACH and are already listed in Annex 14 of the EU REACH Regulation.

Consultation Open Until 4 February 2026

Stakeholders are invited to submit comments by 4 February 2026, providing information specific to Great Britain on current uses, exposure scenarios, possible exemptions, and the availability of safer alternatives. Following the consultation, the HSE will finalise its recommendation and submit it to the UK Secretary of State, and the Scottish and Welsh Ministers for a final decision.

Implications for Industry

Once adopted, authorisation will be required for the use or placing on the market of these substances in Great Britain after the applicable sunset dates, which are expected to be 18 to 24 months after inclusion in Annex 14.

Additional Substances for Future Prioritisation

In parallel, the HSE is inviting interested parties to submit GB-specific information on two further substances to support future prioritisation work:

• Reaction products of 1,3,4-thiadiazolidine-2,5-dithione, formaldehyde and 4-heptylphenol (branched and linear), with ≥ 0.1 % w/w 4-heptylphenol (branched and linear) (several CAS numbers including 1471311-26-8 and 93925-00-9)
• 4,4′-bis(dimethylamino)-4″-(methylamino)trityl alcohol, with ≥ 0.1 % of Michler’s ketone or Michler’s base (CAS No. 561-41-1)

This information will help the HSE prepare future recommendations for inclusion in the Authorisation List.

Access to Consultations and Supporting Documents

All related consultation documents, including the draft recommendation, technical rationale, and background information for both the proposed and future substances, are available on the HSE consultation portal here.