Following a recent inquiry by the Environmental Audit Committee on the impact of microplastics in the marine environment, the English and devolved governments are collaborating in a consultation seeking views on a proposed ban on the manufacture and sale across the UK of cosmetics and personal care products containing plastic microbeads.

‘Banning the use of microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products’ also seeks to gather evidence on the extent of the environmental impacts of further sources of potential marine plastic pollution, to inform future UK actions to protect the marine environment. Responses by 28 February.

Microbeads are small particles of plastic commonly used in personal care products such as face scrubs and toothpastes. They are also used in industrial blasting processes where abrasive materials are propelled under high pressure to remove surface materials such as paint. Too small to be filtered out in sewage treatment systems, a proportion of them are washed out into the marine environment.

3 January 2017