Gibraltar will follow the UK’s lead and ban the sale of cosmetics and toiletries that contain tiny plastic pieces known as “microbeads”, as part of efforts to stop plastic waste entering the oceans.
The UK’s Environment Secretary Michael Gove confirmed on Friday that legislation would be introduced in Britain this year to ban the sale and manufacture of microbeads in products ranging from toothpastes to shower gels.
Reacting to the news, Gibraltar’s Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Dr John Cortes, tweeted that a similar move here was “already planned”.
“We will also benefit from UK ban as many products are imported from there,” he wrote.
The UK’s move comes as part of efforts to tackle the eight million tonnes of plastic that 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 UK 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 major 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.
In Gibraltar, the government also increased taxes on plastic bags at the last budget session as part of its environmental policies.
Mr Gove said: “Eight million tonnes of plastic are discarded into the world’s oceans each year, putting marine wildlife under serious threat.
“Last year the Government launched a consultation on banning microbeads in personal care products, which have such a devastating effect on marine life.
“We are responding to that consultation today and we will introduce legislation to implement that ban later this year.
“But there is more we can do to protect our oceans, so we will explore new methods of reducing the amount of plastic – in particular plastic bottles – entering our seas, improve incentives for reducing waste and litter, and review the penalties available to deal with polluters – all part of a renewed strategy on waste and resources that looks ahead to opportunities outside the EU.”
Greenpeace UK oceans campaigner Louisa Casson said the ban represented the strongest action on microbeads in the world.
“This is great news for our environment and a positive sign of Britain’s global leadership on ocean plastics.
“It’s crucial that ministers have left the door open to broadening the ban in future.
“To achieve a fully comprehensive ban covering all products that go down the drain, we need companies to be much more transparent about when their products contain harmfulmicrobeads.”
She added: “Now that ministers have acknowledged the broader need to end ocean plastics, they should take swift action to tackle the mountain of single-use plastic bottles threatening our oceans by introducing a deposit return scheme.”
WWF chief executive Tanya Steele said: “Microbeads are one of the most pervasive forms of marine pollution and prevention at source is far more effective than clean-up at sea.
“The ban needs to be as extensive as possible, to cover all products: there must be no loopholes or exemptions. Ocean creatures don’t distinguish between different cosmetics.”
Source: http://bit.ly/2vlGB3i
