Ireland set to lead charge in microbead ban
Published
11th Jul 2019
The Irish Government could be set to pass the most wide-ranging ban on microbeads to date.
The Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019, introduced by Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy, has secured all-party support and purports to outlaw microplastics in cleaning products, cosmetics, shampoo and shaving creams.
The Bill would also introduce harsh penalties for those who flout the ban, including fines of €3m and imprisonment.
“Ireland has previously led the charge with measures such as the plastic bag levy and the smoking ban,” said the Minister. ”If we could set an example which others could meet, we should do so.
We are going further than our EU counterparts, but they have made a commitment to catch up.” The Bill is subject to approval from the European Commission.
