A ban on using microbeads in products went into effect on tuesday of this week in the UK. Manufacturers are banned from using the plastic microbeads in products such as toothpaste, and facial soap. A ban on sales of such products will go into effect in July. Thousands of tons of the small plastic beads make their way into the oceans every year as they are virtually impossible to filter from water treatment plants before being discharged into waterways.

The ban follows the 2015 US ban of plastic microbeads.

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