Microbeads (Prohibition) Act 2019

Prohibition

2. (1) A person shall not manufacture or place on the market a cosmetic product that—

(a) is water soluble, and

(b) contains microbeads in excess of the permitted concentration.

(2) A person shall not manufacture or place on the market a cleaning product that—

(a) is water soluble, and

(b) contains microbeads in excess of the permitted concentration.

(3) A person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) shall be guilty of an offence.

(4) It shall be a defence to proceedings for an offence consisting of a contravention of subsection (1) or (2) for the defendant to show that he or she took all measures reasonably necessary to prevent such contravention.

(5) In this section “permitted concentration” means, in relation to a cosmetic product or cleaning product containing microbeads, a concentration of microbeads that does not result in the aggregate weight of the microbeads in the product exceeding 0.01 per cent of the weight of the product.