Environmental impact of microplastics inquiry

Published 14 November 2016.

The Government welcomes the Committee's report and, in its response, sets out plans to ban the sale and manufacture of cosmetics and personal care products containing microbeads, informed by a consultation, alongside further research on microplastics.

• On researching sources of microplastic pollution, it states "We agree" this is a priority and says the area is highlighted in its forthcoming Evidence Action Plan.
• On the microbeads ban, it says its plans "will be informed by a formal consultation later this year" and that evidence will be gathered on microbeads in other products before considering what more can be done in future.
• On labelling, it declines to act now: as it "intend[s] to put in place legislation by next year", it says it is "unnecessary at this stage" to introduce measures changing labelling practices.
• On human health, it says the Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health "will be reviewing" the health effects of several kinds of pollution including microplastics "over the next year".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error