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TAKE A S-WIPE
I’ve used 1,000 wet wipes – from cleaning my ‘pits to scrubbing the loo, I’m fuming they’re being banned, mums need them
Read all the ways Annette uses wet wipes - and learn why it's ignited so much debate
IT’S an essential many mums rely on - baby wipes.
But wet wipes containing plastic are set to be removed from sale in the because a shocking 11 billion are used every year - and nine out of 10 contain plastic which damages the .
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Boots, Tesco, and Aldi have already banned them in a bid to prevent tiny particles from entering our water.
Meanwhile huge brands like Pampers and Waterwipes have introduced plastic-free biodegradable alternatives.
But writer Annette Kellow, 40, from Kensington, London, has said it’s a step too far for mums who need them for a host of things. Now she’s spoken exclusively to Fabulous airing her views:
Crunchy mums, kill me now but I'm a huge fan of wet wipes and won't stop using them, despite the new government proposed ban.
What is the 'wet wipe ban'?
They might be handy for parents - but they aren't great for the environment.
Now Environment Secretary Steve Barclay is expected to announce plans to introduce legislation before the summer recess in July following a long-running campaign to ban baby wipes.
The law which has caused debate on forums such as would make it illegal to sell or supply wet wipes containing plastic in England.
The rest of the UK would likely follow by the autumn.
Most wipes are made from polyester, a plastic that takes years to degrade and releases tiny fibres into the environment.
In 2018, The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs classed them a serious environmental hazard, on a par with plastic bags.
Wet wipes eventually break down into microplastics, which damage ecosystems and contribute to water pollution.
Discarded wipes have increasingly littered Britain's beaches and create huge blockages in commercial pipes.
A study carried out by Water UK in 2017 found that wet wipes made up 93 percent of the material that forms blockages.
Shadow environment secretary Steve Reed said: "Plastic wet wipes clog up our sewers, kill wildlife and lead to sewage backing up into people’s homes."
I've always been a wet wipe fan, even before my son, Felix, was born in 2018.
They're great for removing makeup and getting rid of pesky stains and I love to run them across the skirting board, shelves and pretty much any dusty surface.
When people come to my house they compliment me on the cleanliness of my bathroom but only I know the secret solution, my trusty wipes that I clean the toilet and bath with, as well as the back of the fridge, and even the floors with.
They have a multitude of uses and they're even great for the armpits after you've had a sweaty bedroom session
Annette Kendall
They have a multitude of uses and they're even great for the armpits after you've had a sweaty bedroom session.
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I take them out on the town, use them to freshen up in the toilet and even like to take my makeup off mid-route in the taxi going home to save time before bed.
But now I'm a busy mum to an active five-year-old old they are even better and I go through at least a couple of packets a week, using thousands of wipes since my son was born.
People may not think they are a household essential but I can assure you they most definitely are.
Where else could I find such a useful item to get the stains out of my son's ketchup-covered clothes or when my elderly 13-year-old dog has had another bad accident on the carpet?
Now I'm a busy mum to an active five-year-old old they are even better and I go through at least a couple of packets a week, using thousands of wipes since my son was born.
Annette Kendall
If the government wants to worry about pollution, they should start thinking of something that people could actually go without instead of singling out wet wipes as the naughty culprit.
Seven million coffee cups are chucked away in the UK every day but are they banning them? No, of course not.
What about the absolutely feral Thames waterpipes, full of contraceptives.
Or that each household throws away 66 plastic items each week, many of these non-recyclable?
Wipes are such a wonderfully versatile item and I will continue to use them, even if it means importing them from the US.
Annette Kendall
Surely the supermarkets need to stop making these types of plastic and revert back to good old-fashioned paper bags if they are that worried!
I honestly doubt their floundering quest to 'clear plastic pollution' will touch the sides when it comes to cleaning up Britain.
And as a mum who can't live without my wipes, I don't understand why they are kicking up such a fuss.
Wipes are such a wonderfully versatile item.
They're a lifesaver for me and while I appreciate people should not throw them down the toilet and always dispose of them correctly I don't think parents are that stupid.
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Are they really going to ban them from shops, or even inspect mums' bags when they are out and about? Where will the policing of wet wipes end?
Annette Kendall
Are they really going to ban them from shops, or even inspect mums' bags when they are out and about? Where will the policing of wet wipes end?
If they want to come after me then let them but I certainly won't be giving up these handy little helpers in a hurry, they're a mum's secret... and salvation!
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