The Environmental Protection (Wet Wipes Containing Plastic) (Scotland) Regulations 2026

Scottish Statutory Instrument 2026 No. 75 — creates 5 criminal offences.

5offences created

0recorded in force

0revoked

Made: 10 February 2026
In force from: 11 August 2027
Extent: Not stated
Subject: Health and safety, environment, waste and fisheries
Made under: Environmental Protection Act 1990

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations) — published with the instrument by the department that made it. © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

These Regulations prohibit persons from supplying or offering to supply wet wipes containing plastic and come into force on 11 August 2027. Regulation 3 provides that it is an offence for a person, in the course of a business, to supply or offer to supply wet wipes containing plastic subject to certain exceptions (regulations 5 to 7). The exceptions include the supply of wet wipes containing plastic by registered pharmacies, supply for medical purposes, supply to businesses or supply to local authorities. A person found guilty of an offence under regulation 3 is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. Regulation 4 provides that it is an offence for a person to fail without reasonable excuse to comply with a requirement imposed in the exercise of an enforcement officer’s powers under regulation 11(1)(c)(iii) or (g). A person found guilty of an offence under regulation 4 is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. Regulation 8 makes provision for offences by bodies corporate, Scottish partnerships and unincorporated associations. Regulation 9 provides a defence of due diligence. Regulation 10 provides that a local authority may authorise any person who appears suitable to exercise any of the powers specified in regulation 11. Regulation 11 provides for enforcement officers to have powers of entry to carry out the necessary investigations in order to determine whether an offence has been committed. Regulations 12 to 14 provide for a fixed penalty notice procedure in relation to offences under regulation 3. Regulation 12 outlines the circumstances in which an enforcement officer may give a fixed penalty notice to a person, the effect of either accepting or refusing the offer to pay the fixed penalty, the time period during which the fixed penalty may be given, and the time period during which no other proceedings may be commenced in relation to an offence under regulation 3. It additionally provides an enforcement officer with a power to require that a person to be issued with a fixed penalty notice give their name, address and date of birth, and a related offence for refusing to provide that information or giving false information. A person found guilty of an offence under regulation 12(7) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale. Regulation 13 sets out the particulars that must be included in a fixed penalty notice given under regulation 12, and regulation 14 provides for the amount of the fixed penalty and the discounted amount that applies when paid within the period identified.

Offences created by this instrument

Power to give fixed penalty notices regulation 12(7) · Status not determined · Strict liability
A person who, in the course of a business, supplies or offers to supply to an end user wet wipes containing plastic… regulation 3(1) · Status not determined · Strict liability
A person who fails without reasonable excuse to comply with any requirement imposed in the exercise of an enforcement… regulation 4(1) · Status not determined · Strict liability
Where— a an offence under these Regulations has been committed by a body corporate or a Scottish partnership or other… regulation 8(1) · Status not determined · Strict liability
b it is proved that the offence was committed with the consent or connivance of, or was attributable to any neglect on… regulation 8(1)(b) · Status not determined · Strict liability

What Parliament said about it

Hansard was searched for this instrument by name and returned nothing. That is the ordinary outcome: an instrument laid under the negative procedure is usually never debated, and becomes law without a word said about it in either House.

How Parliament handled it

Parliament's Statutory Instruments service has no record of this instrument, although it covers the period. Nothing is inferred from that.

Check the source

This instrument on legislation.gov.uk The authoritative text, including amendments made since
Other instruments from 2026