If you only make one change in your habits to protect the environment, make it this one.

A major investigation has found that wet wipes being sold as ‘flushable’ are causing extreme damage to the environment.

The investigation found that wet wipes don’t break down and are causing blockages to sewers. In fact, ‘flushable’ wet wipes are responsible for 93 percent of blockages in UK sewers.

A recent report from Coastwatch in Ireland reported “long ropes” of wet wipes ending up on Irish coastlines.

Gross.

Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune said: “It is very easy to flush a wet wipe down the toilet but the issue is what happens to it after that.

“I believe some manufacturers have made efforts to improve the packaging of non-flushable wipes and highlighting that people should not flush them. However some packaging still states that wipes as ‘flushable” and this has to be addressed.

The advice is simple: “It is very important that people do not flush wet wipes down the toilet. The wipes contain plastic and they are doing extreme damage to the environment.”

“I would really urge people to think carefully about how they dispose of wet wipes as they are clogging up sewers and damaging the marine environment.”

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