Legislation to ban the use of microbeads has now been introduced in England, Scotland and Wales:
- The Environmental Protection (Microbeads) (England) Regulations 2017 which entered into force on 9th January 2018 & 19th June 2018;
- The Environmental Protection (Microbeads) (Scotland) Regulations 2018 which entered into force on 19th June 2018;
- The Environmental Protection (Microbeads) (Wales) Regulations 2018 which enters into force on 30th June 2018.
These Regulations apply to manufacturers and sellers of rinse-off personal care products, which are products to be applied to any relevant human body part in the course of any personal care treatment.
Rinse-off personal care products include, but are not limited to: products designed for use on the body, skin, hands, feet, nails, face, hair or oral cavity (mouth), including to exfoliate, cleanse, lighten or colour, soften skin or hair, remove hair, deodorise or perfume, as well as bath products with personal care properties and dental products.
From the commencement date, the manufacture and sale of personal care products containing microbeads will be banned.
Any person who supplies or offers to supply, any rinse-off personal care product containing microbeads on or after the dates stated above will be guilty of an offence.
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