Consumers support microbeads ban in UK, finds Greenpeace survey

Two out of every three people in the UK are in favour of banning microbeads used in several things such as face washes, toothpaste shower gels and consumer products, according to a new survey by Greenpeace.

The survey asked 1,000 people, which were mostly unaware of the definition of microbeads before they were told about it.

Minuscule plastic beads used in toiletries to exfoliate the skin, and cannot be filtered by water treatment systems, leading them to flow into the oceans where they harm marine life, reports BBC.

The US has already banned microbeads and Canada, as well as some EU countries are also considering introducing laws to ban them.

Currently, there is no law in the UK that prohibits the use of microbeads.

Greenpeace UK oceans campaigner Louise Edge was quoted by BBC as saying: "Microbeads are one of those rare environmental problems that are actually relatively easy to solve.

"A ban is easy to introduce and alternatives are already available.

"Although it would not alone eradicate the problems caused by microplastics, it would set an important precedent in the UK that pumping plastics into our oceans is not acceptable."

According to Greenpeace around 100,000 microbeads can be washed down the sink with the single use of some products.

In its survey, Greenpeace found that only one in ten of those enquired thought microbeads should not be banned in the UK.

Around seven out of ten did not know what a microbead was before they took part in the survey; however, young women were found to be aware of them.

Currently, the UK Parliament is looking at the impacts of microbeads on the environment.