* Bennett: Voluntary phase-out is “simply inadequate”
Green Party Conference, the supreme policy making body of the Party, have backed a call from leader Natalie Bennett for a ban on microbeads in cosmetic products.
Bennett, who tabled the emergency motion at the Greens’ spring conference in Harrogate, said:
“The government’s plan to work with the cosmetics industry for a voluntary phase-out is simply inadequate. They have acknowledged that these cause biological and toxicological harm in the oceans, but is failing to act.
“The United States, with the full backing even of Republicans, has agreed a ban by April 2017. Britain surely can act as quickly, if not quicker.
“The industry has acknowledged that alternatives are readily available, but its plan for a phase-out by 2020 is way too slow.”
A campaigning organisation has created a phone app, Beat The Microbead (1), which can be used to scan bar codes of cosmetics products to check if they use microbeads.
Bennett highlighted this to Green Party conference, adding: “Using this app is a simple, practical step that everyone can take. But consumers shouldn’t have to. The government should act to remove this damaging product, and should also be looking to see how similar, wholly unnecessary, environmental damage can be prevented in future.”
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