Plastic ban to tackle threat to wildlife

Tiny plastic pieces known as “microbeads” will be banned from cosmetics and toiletries, as part of efforts to stop plastic waste entering the oceans, the Government has said.

Environment secretary Michael Gove confirmed legislation would be introduced this year to ban the sale and manufacture of microbeads in products such as toothpastes and shower gels.

It comes as part of efforts to tackle the eight million tonnes of plastic which makes its way into oceans each year, from large bits of rubbish to tiny fragments, which pose a threat to fish, marine mammals and seabirds.

The Government will also look at ways of reducing the amount of plastic, in particular single-use soft drinks bottles, entering the seas, and improve incentives for reducing waste and litter, Mr Gove said.

The latest move to clean up plastic waste follows the introduction of a 5p plastic carrier bag charge for retailers in England, following the example of the devolved administrations, to reduce the blight of plastic bags ending up in the countryside or seas.

New figures show that more than nine billion fewer plastic bags have been distributed since the charge came in – a reduction of 83% – with £95 million raised from the charge which has been donated to good causes.

Greenpeace campaigner Louisa Casson said the ban was the strongest action on microbeads in the world.

She said: “Now that ministers have acknowledged the broader need to end ocean plastics, they should take swift action to tackle the mountain of singleuse plastic bottles threatening our oceans by introducing a deposit return scheme.”