Ban on microbeads approved by Holyrood committee

Ban on microbeads approved by Holyrood committee

Holyrood’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee today approved legislation that bans the use of plastic microbeads in personal care products in Scotland.

Microbeads, which can be found in face scrubs, toothpastes and shower gels, can pass through sewage systems and reach seas and oceans. These microbeads are not biodegradable and can accumulate over many years, which can cause serious harm to marine life.

Committee convener, Graeme Dey MSP, said: “This is a step forward in protecting our precious oceans, seas and marine life and our Committee is pleased to approve this ban on microplastics today; it means that trillions of tiny plastics can no longer be flushed down our drains and into our seas in the future.

“A ban on microbeads is of course only a small part of the solution, and there are global efforts to combat the overwhelming number of plastics polluting our marine environments. This is an important issue for the Committee and is something we will continue to follow closely in the future.”

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