Thousands of tons of plastic microbeads from products such as exfoliating face scrubs and toothpastes enter the sea every year. (Photo: Hennel/Alamy Stock Photo)

Plastic microbeads are popularly used in cleansers, exfoliating facial scrubs, and toothpastes. The tiny plastic particles pose serious threat to many kinds of fish and other marine creatures and can even pose a serious risk to human health.

Since plastic does not dissolve, the beads accumulate in the water and in marine creatures and can pass into the human body with food. This increases the risk of respiratory disease and a weakened immune system.

The ban means the tiny beads can no longer be used in cosmetics and personal care products.

According to UK authorities, use of the beads in personal care products is completely unnecessary because there are organic replacements. The ban could prevent billions of plastic microbeads from entering our oceans each year.

A ban on sales of products containing plastic microbeads will also take effect this year.

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has called on all countries to end their use of plastic microbeads to protect the environment and human health.

The US and several European countries have asked cosmetic firms to stop using the beads in their products. In 2015, US President Barack Obama signed into law the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015. 

Illinois was the first state to promulgate a law to prohibit the manufacture and distribution of rinse-off cosmetics that contain plastic microbeads. Since then the Unilever group has stopped using plastic microbeads in their products.