Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 78
78
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 374
Policymakers across Government should aim to cultivate a culture of water citizenship to foster greater...
Conclusion
Policymakers across Government should aim to cultivate a culture of water citizenship to foster greater awareness and change behaviour that risks causing blockages in the sewer network and increasing levels of water pollution. Awareness of what should not be disposed of down toilets and drains appears to be low. Many householders are still unaware that flushing anything other than the ‘three Ps’ (‘pee, poo and paper’) can create a risk of blocking sewers leading to a pollution incident.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government agrees that citizen science can play an important role, including in assisting the Environment Agency with monitoring, particularly through Catchment Partnerships. They highlight the Catchment Monitoring Cooperative which obtained £1.7 million in funding from Ofwat’s Breakthrough Water Challenge fund last year to kickstart the scheme in eight catchments and the CaSTCo project.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
374
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government · verbatim extract
Acknowledged
In the call for evidence, we sought views on a mandatory ‘flush-ability’ standard; mandatory labelling to indicate how wipes should be disposed of, an extended producer responsibility scheme; and a ban on wet wipes containing plastic with exemptions for medical purposes (as outlined in the Plastics (Wet Wipes) Bill). While there are currently no plans to ban the sale of disposable nappies, we recognise the issues associated with absorbent hygiene products (AHPs) such as nappies, including the environmental impact of plastics. In line with our Resources and Waste Strategy for England, we are considering the best approach to minimising the environmental impact of a range of products, including AHPs, taking on board the environmental and social impacts of the options available. There are a number of policy measures available to us, including standards and consumer information, as well as encouraging voluntary action by business. The Environment Act 2021 contains new powers that will enable us, where appropriate and subject to consultation, to introduce eco-design and consumer information requirements including labelling schemes that provide accurate information to consumers and drive the market towards more sustainable products. We believe the right approach for each product requires careful consideration taking account of various factors, for example, waste benefits versus energy usage. Work is nearing completion on an environmental assessment of washable and disposable absorbent hygiene products with the primary focus on nappies. This is looking at carbon and wider environmental impacts of washable and disposable products, disposal to landfill and incineration, and recycling options. There will also be a literature review covering other AHPs. The research will be published in due course, following peer review, and will help inform possible future action on nappies by Government and industry.
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