From: Chemical Watch

Prohibition enters into force on 1 July

A Swedish ban on rinse-off cosmetics containing microbeads will enter into force at the beginning of July, the country's environment ministry has said.

Sweden announced the proposed ban last year and notified the WTO of its intentions on 6 July.

The ban will apply to cosmetic products "rinsed or spotted and which contain plastic particles with a cleaning, scrubbing or polishing function". It includes, for example:

*toothpastes;
*body scrubs;
*shower gels;
*shampoos; and
*conditioners with added microbeads.

Products consisting solely of "natural polymers, long molecules that have not been synthesised, and which have not been modified chemically" are excluded from the ban, according to a statement from the Ministry of the Environment and Energy.

There will be a six-month transition period; products purchased in stock before July may continue to be sold in stores until January 2019.

Countries around the world are taking action against microplastics, and Sweden has said it is considering extending the ban to all products that release microplastics. The ministry has asked the Swedish Chemicals Agency (Kemi) to produce a report on a broader proposal by 31 March.

This will take into account initiatives proposed in the EU's plastics strategy, announced last month. Under the plan, the European Commission asked Echa to prepare a REACH Annex XV restriction dossier on the use of intentionally added microplastic particles to all consumer and professional use products.

Commenting on the ban, Environment Minister Karolina Skog said: "It is completely unnecessary to add microplastic in rinseable cosmetics," adding that natural alternatives such as hazelnut and coconut shell can provide the same scrubbing function.