Minister says UK government 'fully backs' microbeads ban

Environment minister George Eustice tells MPs' committee that the government supports a ban on polluting plastic microbeads in cosmetics

The UK government now fully backs a legal ban on polluting plastic microbeads in cosmetics and toiletries, environment minister George Eustice said on Tuesday.

A ban across the EU could be passed as early as 2017, he said, to stop the tiny particles entering the seas and harming wildlife.