Gove pushes for a microbeads ban by January

MICHAEL Gove today signals a crackdown on the plastic polluting our oceans as he pushes to introduce a law banning ‘toxic’ microbeads.

The Environment Secretary is laying out legislation before Parliament to try to outlaw the tiny pieces of plastic used in cosmetics and face scrubs.

Millions of microbeads wash into our rivers and seas every day and are eaten by fish, sea birds and crabs – even ending up in the seafood we eat.

If there are no objections from MPs, a ban on their manufacture will come into force in early January. A full ban on sale will follow in six months’ time.

The ban was announced following the Daily Mail’s Ban the Beads campaign.

Announcing the move, Mr Gove hailed the Mail’s campaign, and said he was determined to do more to combat plastic. He said: ‘Microbeads might be tiny, but the impact they have on our marine environment is not. That’s why we have drawn up one of the world’s strongest bans on these harmful pieces of plastic.’

He added: ‘I am determined to do more to crackdown on plastics, and alongside our ban on microbeads we are exploring how we can reduce the impact of plastic bottles and further turn the tide on marine litter.’