November 7, 2016
France has sent a notification to the European Commission (EC) on its ‘Decree Prohibiting the Placement on the Market of Rinse-Off Cosmetic Products for Exfoliation or Cleaning that Contain Solid Plastic Particles, Provided for in the Third Paragraph of Point III of Article L541-10-5 of the Environmental Code.’ It specifically ban from the market rinse-off cosmetic products containing microplastics.
The reason behind the ban is that microplastics are a source of pollution. It represents up to 10% of the volume of cosmetic products and about 8 billion microplastics enter the seas and oceans every day.
It is also part of the country's legislative provisions to reduce plastic marine litter and goal to have good environmental status of marine waters by 2020.
The ban will take effect on January 1, 2018.