蜜芽传媒

Microbeads are the small bits of plastic added to soap and toothpaste to help make them clean more effectively. They were banned in the US last month and many companies in Europe have agreed to get rid of them, but there are calls for them to made illegal in order to protect marine wildlife.

Dr Chris Flower, the Director General of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association, said microbeads are added to products 鈥渢o make cleaning more effective鈥� and said they can 鈥済ently remove dead cells鈥�.

But he admitted that 鈥渢here are problems鈥� and said the industry 鈥渋s going to stop using them鈥�.

Dr Flower said plastic is 鈥渓ess abrasive鈥� than old methods of chalk or silica, but said the industry might have to 鈥済o back to using those sorts of materials鈥�.

This clip is originally from 5 live breakfast on Monday 18 January 2016.