[영국] 영국정부, 영국 전역서 플라스틱 함유 물티슈 사용금지 법안 발표

설문조사 결과, 응답자 95% 플라스틱 함유 물티슈 사용금지 법안 찬성

서번트렌트, 하수도 막힘 주범 '물티슈' 사용금지 정부 발표 지지

영국 정부가 현지시각 4월 22일 플라스틱이 함유된 물티슈를 금지하는 법안을 도입한다고 밝혔다. [사진출처 = 서번트렌트 워터(Severn Trent Water)]

영국 환경식품농무부(Defra)는 여름 휴회를 앞두고 잉글랜드에 법안을 제출할 계획이며, 북아일랜드, 스코틀랜드, 웨일즈는 가을까지 법안을 제출할 예정이다. 

플라스틱이 함유된 물티슈는 시간이 지남에 따라 미세 플라스틱으로 분해되는데 연구에 따르면 인간에게 유해하고 생태계를 교란시킬 수 있다. 영국 전역 해변을 조사한 결과, 100m당 평균 20개의 물티슈가 발견됐다. 

플라스틱이 함유된 물티슈는 생물학적, 화학적 오염 물질을 축적하여 이를 접한 동물과 인간에게 해를 끼칠 위험성을 높일 수 있다.

이를 금지하면 플라스틱과 미세 플라스틱 오염을 줄이고 하·폐수처리장으로 유입되는 미세 플라스틱의 양을 줄일 수 있다.

플라스틱 함유 물티슈 금지 찬반조사 결과, 응답자의 95%가 이 제안에 동의하거나 강력하게 동의했으며, 1990년 「환경보호법」에 따른 2차 법안을 통해 도입될 예정인 금지 법안에 대한 압도적인 지지를 보여줬다. 

스티브 바클레이(Steve Barclay) 장관은 "플라스틱이 함유된 물티슈는 영국의 수로를 오염시키고 미세플라스틱이 환경으로 유입되게 만들고 있다. Defra는 1회용 캐리어 가방 충전과 개인 관리 제품의 마이크로비즈 금지에 이어 이런 불필요한 오염원을 단속하기 위한 법안을 여름 휴식 시간 전에 도입할 예정"이라면서

"오염으로부터 수로를 보호하기 위해 단계적인 변화가 필요하다는 것을 분명히 해왔다. 이 금지는 투자 가속화, 물기업 벌금 환경 재조성, 물기업 부지에 대한 검사 횟수 4배 증가 등 영국의 수로를 보호하고 물 회사에 책임을 묻기 위해 이미 취해진 수많은 조치들을 기반으로 한다"고 말했다.

물티슈를 변기에 버리면 하수관로에서 기름과 얽혀 팻버그(fatberg)를 형성해 하수관로를 막는 주범이 되고 있다. 이에 따라 영국 정부는 플라스틱이 함유된 물티슈를 금지하는 새로운 법안을 도입한다. [사진출처(Photo source) = 영국정부(UK GOV)]

서번트렌트, 플라스틱 함유 물티슈 금지 법안 지지

한편, 서번트렌트 워터(Severn Trent Water)는 플라스틱이 함유된 모든 물티슈를 금지한다는 영국 정부의 발표를 지지한다고 밝혔다.

물티슈를 변기에 버리면 하수관로에서 기름과 얽혀 팻버그(fatberg)를 형성해 하수관로를 막는 주범이 되고 있다. 심지어 플러셔블(flushable) 물티슈와 생분해성 물티슈도 화장지처럼 부서지지 않는다. 또한 물티슈로 인해 하수관로가 막히면 빗물받이 및 이웃 가정으로 역류할 수 있다.

그랜트 미첼(Grant Mitchell) 서번트렌트 금지 전략 책임자는 "매넌 서번트렌트 팀은 하수관로에서 3만 개의 협작물을 제거하고 있으며, 매주 2.5톤의 물티슈를 제거하고 있다"고 말했다.

이어 "물티슈로 인한 하수관로 막힘은 고객과 환경에 많은 비용이 소요되는 문제를 일으킬 수 있으며, 팻버그 형성에 중요한 역할을 하고 있다"면서 "이번 금지 조치의 가장 중요한 점은 대wnd에게 휴지만 버려야 한다는 것을 인식시키는 것"이라고 덧붙였다.

[원문보기]

UK-wide ban on wet wipes containing plastic to be put into law

The UK Government will introduce new world-leading legislation to ban wet wipes containing plastic.

The UK Government will introduce new world-leading legislation to ban wet wipes containing plastic, the Environment Secretary has confirmed today (22 April 2024). 

Defra intend to bring forward the legislation for England ahead of summer recess, with Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales following by the autumn as part of an aligned approach to bring the ban into force.

Wet wipes containing plastic break down into microplastics over time, which research shows can be harmful to human health and disrupt our ecosystems – with a recent survey showing an average of 20 wet wipes were found per 100 metres of beach surveyed across the UK*.

Once in our water environment, wet wipes containing plastic can accumulate biological and chemical pollutants, increasing the risk of harm to the animals and humans who encounter them.

Banning them will reduce plastic and microplastic pollution and reduce the volume of microplastics entering wastewater treatment sites when wrongly flushed – meaning our beaches and waterways will benefit from the ban.

Responses to the public consultation showed overwhelming support for the proposed ban – which will be introduced via secondary legislation under our Environmental Protection Act 1990 – with 95% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing with the proposals. The government’s response has been published today alongside the Welsh Government, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive.

Marking Earth Day 2024, with its theme of ‘Planet vs. Plastics’, the response sets out next steps to deliver the ban, building on action taken across the UK to tackle plastic pollution.  

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:

Wet wipes containing plastic are polluting our waterways and causing microplastics to enter the environment. Defra will introduce legislation before the summer recess to crack down on this unnecessary source of pollution, following our successful single-use carrier bag charge and ban on microbeads in personal care products.   

I have been clear that a step change is needed to protect our waterways from pollution. The ban builds on a raft of actions already taken to protect our waterways and hold water companies accountable - including accelerating investment, putting water company fines back into the environment and quadrupling the number of inspections of water company sites.

Plastic-free wet wipes are readily available and several retailers have already stopped selling wet wipes containing plastic.   

Steve Ager, Chief Customer and Commercial Officer at Boots, said:

Boots removed all wet wipes containing plastic from sale in stores and online last year as part of our long-standing commitment to sustainability and working with suppliers and customers to reduce the use of plastic.

We are pleased to see the government now taking action as a ban on all wet wipes containing plastic will have a much bigger impact than retailers taking action alone. We all have a collective responsibility to protect the environment and support a healthy planet.

Luke Emery, Plastics and Packaging Director at Aldi, said:

The removal of plastic from Aldi wet wipes two years ago has been positive for our customers and the environment.

It has removed an estimated 7,000 tonnes of unnecessary plastic from the system and has been welcomed by Aldi shoppers. We support the introduction of this new legislation and the positive impact it will have for everyone.

An 18-month transition period will start from when legislation is passed to allow businesses time to prepare. Following consultation with industry, the ban will not include the manufacture of these products, in line with other recent single-use plastic bans.

However, the government will continue to encourage manufacturers to move to a position where all their wet wipes are plastic free.   

The government response also sets out exemptions to ensure that wet wipes containing plastic remain available where there is no viable alternative – such as for medical disinfectant purposes. The Government will review the need for these exemptions regularly.

Severn Trent Water supports government announcement of wet wipes ban

Severn Trent Water is supporting today’s announcement by the government to ban all wet wipes containing plastic.

When disposed of down the loo rather than into bin, wet wipes become a main offender in the formation of blockages and fatbergs in the sewer network. Even some products that say ‘flushable’ or ‘biodegradable’ on the packaging don’t break down like toilet paper.  

These blockages are entirely avoidable and can lead to sewage spilling out of manhole covers elsewhere along the network, or backing-up into peoples’ homes or gardens, which can be both unpleasant and costly to fix.

Grant Mitchell, Blockages Strategy Lead at Severn Trent, said: “Every year our team removes 30,000 blockages from across our waste network, and each week we pull two and a half tonnes of wet wipes from our sewers, which is the same weight as a Range Rover.

“These blockages can cause costly problems for customers and the environment and can be major contributing factor in the formation of fatbergs.

“We absolutely welcome the government’s announcement as it will reduce plastics entering the environment through wastewater treatment sites, meaning that waterways and beaches will benefit from this ban.

“Whilst it’s good that there’s overwhelming public support for these proposals, what’s really important is for everyone to remember that only the three p’s - pee, poo and paper are flushed down the toilet. Ideally wipes, whatever they are made of, will go straight in the bin which will help the environment.”

To get people thinking about what should and shouldn't be put down the toilet and sink, Severn Trent is launching ‘Sewer Stories’, showcasing the work that waste teams do to keep sewers clear and some of the weird things they find down in the sewers, which has included everything from false teeth to car tyres.

For further information and advice about blockages visit www.stwater.co.uk/my-supply/sewer-stories and keep an eye out on Severn Trent social media for the Sewer Stories.

[출처 = 영국정부(UK GOV)(https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-wide-ban-on-wet-wipes-containing-plastic-to-be-put-into-law) / 4월 22일]

[출처 = 서번트렌트 워터(Severn Trent Water)(https://www.stwater.co.uk/news/news-releases/severn-trent-water-supports-government-announcement-of-wet-wipes/) 4월 22일]