Many cotton buds end up in the sea as consumers flush them down the toilet rather than disposing of them in household waste. This is despite on-pack warnings advising that buds should not be flushed away.
The Marine Conservation Society’s 2016 Big Beach Clean Report found that the number of cotton bud sticks on UK beaches had doubled since 2012, with the average leaping from 11 every 100 metres to 24.
Cleaner seas
Our move means that neither plastic stems nor the plastic-based adhesive will end up in the sea. We will also increase the prominence of the ‘do not flush’ warnings on the front of packs, to encourage correct disposal.
Dr Clare Cavers, Research Officer for environmental charity Fidra, commented: “Cotton buds should always be bagged and binned but we know that many people still flush them away.
“These changes from Sainsbury’s will have a huge impact on marine health, especially with their pledge to share the revised formula with competitors.”