Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to ban the use of microplastics in products.

Earlier this year we introduced one of the world’s toughest bans on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products. This legislation will prevent these tiny pieces of plastic from ending up in the marine environment.

Later this year we will publish a new Resources and Waste Strategy. It will set out how we will eliminate all avoidable plastic waste as well as make the UK a world leader in resource efficiency.