Wet wipes are a key component of fatbergs — like this giant one that weighed as much as 10 double decker buses. Source: Thames WaterAmid mounting concern for plastic pollution levels, the U.K. is considering an eventual ban on wet wipes containing plastic — the kind used for personal hygiene and those used to clean surfaces.

According to research, wet wipes contribute to a phenomenon called fatbergs where mounting waste creates an impassable “berg” of garbage leading to sewer obstruction. In fact, the fatbergs are made up almost entirely (93 percent) of wet wipes alone that have been flushed after a single use.

Often, the wet wipes, most commonly used to clean babies and to remove makeup, contain non-biodegradable plastics and, as such, should not be flushed down the toilet. However, as they are being used in a growing number of applications from applying insect repellent to deodorants and sunscreens, they are becoming more and more popular.

"We are continuing to work with manufacturers and retailers of wet wipes to make sure labelling on packaging is clear and people know how to dispose of them properly," a spokesperson for the Department of the Environment (Defra) said.

Yet, Defra says it is also "encouraging innovation so that more and more of these products can be recycled and are working with industry to support the development of alternatives, such as a wet-wipe product that does not contain plastic and can therefore be flushed."

Pledging to eradicate all “avoidable plastic waste” by 2042, the U.K. government has been considering similar bans on single-use plastic products such as cotton swabs, straws and drink stirrers.