UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced that a ban on the manufacture of products containing microbeads has come into force effective 9 January 2018. Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey has announced that manufacturers of cosmetics and personal care products will no longer be able to add tiny pieces of plastic known as ‘microbeads’ to rinse-off products such as face scrubs, toothpastes and shower gels.

The UK’s ban – praised by campaigners as one of the toughest in the world – will reportedly help to stop billions of microbeads ending up in the ocean every year. The announcement comes ahead of the government’s upcoming 25 Year Environment Plan. A ban on the sale of products containing microbeads will follow later in the year.