Environmental ministers reject Nordic ban on micro-plastics in cosmetics

Vidar Helgesen, joint climate declarationMinister of Climate and Environment Vidar Helgesen.Photo: regjeringen.no

The Nordic Environment Ministers refused to introduce a Nordic ban on micro-plastics in cosmetics, and await the EU’s plastics strategy.

 

The Environment Ministers met the Nordic Council’s Sustainability Committee on Wednesday.

Norway’s climate and environmental minister, Vidar Helgesen of Høyre (H), who also heads the Nordic Council of Ministers for the Environment this year, indicated that the EU has announced the introduction of a plastic strategy on the 6th of December.

‘If the micro-plastic question, including cosmetics, isn’t desirable, we will raise the issue again at a national level, and open the way for a wider Nordic discussion,’ he said.

Micro-plastics from cosmetics account for a very small part of the total micro-plastic contamination in the sea and waterways, but the Nordic Council believes that a Nordic ban would help to focus attention on the major problem.

 

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