1 General Explanation of Revised Draft of 
Restrictions on the Manufacture, Import, and 
Sale of Personal Care and Cosmetics Products 
Containing Plastic Microbeads  
The implementation of the "Restrictions on the Manufacture, Import, and 
Sale of Personal Care and Cosmetics Products Containing Plastic 
Microbeads"  (herein referred to as this Announcement) drafted and 
announced by the Environmental Protection Administrat ion, Executive Yuan 
on August 3, 2017 has been highly effective in protecting the environment 
and reducing  the consumer -end use of products containing plastic microbeads. 
However, in practical management, the non -natural polymers added in some 
manufacturer s’ formula s do not decompose readily after entering the sea . In 
order to realize the environmentall y friendly goals of this Announcement, the 
revised draft in this Announcement has been drawn up after referring to 
Sweden's restrictive regulations on plasti c microbeads in personal care and 
cosmetics products . Key revisions ar e as follows:  
I. This Announcement s tipulates that particles of non -natural 
polymers such as solid synthetic waxes constitute plastic 
microbeads, and adds the definition of  natural  polymers.  
(revised announcement item 1)  
II. Addition of personal care and cosmetics products containing 
particles of non -natural polymers such as solid synthetic 
waxes; manufacturers and importers may not manufacture or 
import such products as of September 1,  2019, and vendors 
may not sell such products as of March 1, 2020. (revised 
announcement item 3)  
   2 Comparative Table of Revisions in Revised  
Draft Announcement of Restrictions on the 
Manufacture, Import, and Sale of Personal Care 
and Cosmetics Products Con taining Plastic 
Microbeads  
Announcement  Announcement Currently in Force  Explanation  
Subject: Except when other 
effective date has been 
specified, the revised 
"Restrictions on the 
Manufacture, Import, and 
Sale of Personal Care and 
Cosmetics Products 
Containing Plastic 
Microbeads" shall take 
effect immediately.  Subject: The "Restrictions on the 
Manufacture, Import, and 
Sale of Personal Care and 
Cosmetics Products  
Containing Plastic 
Microbeads" with the 
provisions of sale of Item II 
taking effect from July 1, 
2018, and the remaining 
provisions taking effect 
from January 1, 2018.  Revised effective date.  
Basis: Article 21, Waste Disposal 
Act Basis: Article 21, Waste  Disposal 
Act Basis not revised.  
Announced items:  
I. Terms used in this Official 
Announcement are defined as 
follows:  
A. ”Cosmetics ” refers to 
personal care and cosmetics 
products specified in the 
Cosmetic Hygiene and Safety 
Act. 
B.“Personal care products ” 
means those products used for 
cleaning one's body, and 
which must be cleaned off or 
rinsed off with water after 
use.  
C. "Facial scrub" means those 
preparations in liquid, paste, 
cream, or gel form containing 
microbeads and used for the 
functions of skin  exfoliation 
or cleaning.  
D.“Toothpaste ” means products 
generally used to protect the 
surface of people's teeth and 
surrounding tissue, 
specifically semi -solid or 
powder blended products that Announced items:  
I. Terms used in this Official 
Announcement are defined as 
follows:  
A.“Cosmetics ” means those 
products termed cosmetics in 
the Statute for Control of 
Cosmetic Hygiene .  
B.“Personal care products ” 
means those products used 
for cleaning one's body, and 
which must be cleaned off or 
rinsed off with water after 
use.  
C. "Facial scrub" means those 
preparations in liquid, paste, 
cream, or gel form 
containing microbeads and 
used for the functions of skin 
exfoliation or cleaning.  
D.“Toothpaste ” means products 
generally used to protect the 
surface of people's teeth and 
surrounding tissue, 
specifically semi -solid or 
powder blended products that 
take the form of a paste, I. Revised in accordance with the 
Cosmetic Hygiene and Safety 
Act in order to adjust statutory 
names. Revised announcement 
item 1 (1).  
II. To achi eve the goal of 
environmentall y friendliness, 
after referring to the plastic 
microbead control regulations 
of Sweden, it is specifie d that, 
because they do not constitute 
natural polymers, polymer 
particles made of solid 
synthetic waxes, etc. used for 
exfoliation or cleaning and 
having a sc ope of particle 
diameter smaller than 5mm 
constitute plastic microbeads 
and are subject to control. 
Revised announcement item 1 
(5). 
III. In reference to Sweden's 
control approach , the definition 
of natural polymers  is specified . 
Announcement item 1 (6)  has 
been added. T he remaining 
subparagraphs have been  3 take the form of a paste, 
cream, or gel.  
E.“Plastic microbeads” : 
(A) means solid plastic 
particles used for 
exfoliation or cleaning of 
the body wherein the 
scope of particles 
diameter is smaller than 5 
mm, and the material of 
which they are made 
includes biodegradable 
plastic.  
(B) Refers to polymer 
particles made of solid 
synthetic waxes, etc. used 
for exfoliation or 
cleaning wherein the 
scope of particle diameter 
is smaller than 5mm. 
However, does not 
contain natural polymers.  
F. Natural polymers: Refers to 
polymers existing naturally in 
the environment, and are 
substances wi th chemical 
structures that will not change 
when subjected to chemical 
processes or treatments, or 
physical mineralogical 
transformations.  
G.“Manufacturer ” means an 
enterprise that engages in the 
manufacture of personal care 
or cosmetics products.  
H.“Importer” means a business 
that engages in the 
importation of  personal care 
or cosmetics products.  
I.“Vendor” means a business 
that engages in the sale 
(including wholesaling, 
retailing, or presentation as 
gifts or prizes, etc.) of 
personal care or cosme tics 
products.  cream, or gel.  
E.“Plastic microbeads ” means 
solid plastic particles used 
for exfoliation or cleaning of 
the body wherein the scope 
of particles diameter is 
smaller than 5 mm, and the 
material of which they are 
made includes biodegradable 
plastic.  
F.“Manufacturer ” means an 
enterprise that enga ges in the 
manufacture of personal care 
or cosmetics products.  
G.“Importer” means a business 
that engages in the 
importation of  personal 
care or cosmetics products.  
H.“Vendor” means a business 
that engages in the sale 
(including wholesaling, 
retailing, or presentation as 
gifts or prizes, etc.) of 
personal care or cosmetics 
products.  sequentially moved.  
II. Apart from those enterprises 
already manufacturing or 
importing the following 
cosmetic and personal care II. Apart from those enterprises 
already manufacturing or 
importing the fo llowing 
cosmetic and personal care Revised in accordance with the 
Cosmetic Hygiene and Safety 
Act in order to adjust statutory 
names. Revised anno uncement  4 products containing plastic 
microbeads as of August 23, 
2016,  manufacturers, 
importers, and vendors may not 
manufacture, import, or sell such 
products:  
A. In accordance with relevant 
regulations of the Cosmetic 
Hygiene and Safety Act , 
referred to as persona l care 
products used for washing 
hair, personal care products 
used for face washing and 
makeup removal, personal 
care products used for 
bathing, and soaps.  
B. Facial scrub . 
C. Toothpaste . products containing plastic 
microbeads as of August 23, 
2016,  manufacturers, 
importers, and vendors may not 
manufacture, import, or sell such 
products:  
A. Cosmetics used for washing 
hair, cosmetics used for 
bathing, cosmet ics used for 
face-washing, and soap as 
defined in relevant 
provisions of the Statute for 
Control of Cosmetic 
Hygiene .  
B. Facial scrub . 
C. Toothpaste . item 2 (1).  
III. The plastic microbeads 
contained in the personal care 
and cosmetics products in the 
foregoing paragraph are 
subject to the requirements of 
announcement item 1 (5) 2, 
wherein manufacturers and 
importers may not 
manufacture or import such 
products as of September 1, 
2019, and vendors may not 
sell such products as of March 
1, 2020.   I. This paragraph has been added.  
II. In conjunction with the 
stipulation of announcement 
item 1 (5) 2, the following has 
been include d: personal care 
and c osmetics products 
containing plastic microbeads 
such as polymer particles of 
solid synthetic waxes, etc., but 
not containing natural 
polymers; Manufacture, import, 
and sale restriction schedules.  
IV. The competent authority may 
dispatch personnel (carrying 
identification documents) to 
enter manufacturer’s, 
importer’s or vendor’s 
premises to inspect the 
manufacturing, importation or 
vending of the foregoing 
personal care or cosmetics 
products , and may request 
each product and relevant 
information, and the 
manufacturer, importer or 
vendor may not refuse, seek 
to evade, or obstruct such 
inspection.  III. The competent authority may 
dispatch personnel (carrying 
identification documents) to 
enter manufacturer’s, 
importer’s or vendor’s 
premises to inspect  the 
manufacturing, importation or 
vending of the foregoing 
personal care or cosmetics 
products , and may request 
each product and relevant 
information, and the 
manufacturer, importer or 
vendor may not refuse, seek 
to evade, or obstruct such 
inspection.  Revision of paragraph order.  
V. When the competent 
authority's random inspection 
and testing of personal care IV. When the competent authority's 
random inspection and testing of 
personal care and cosmetics Revision of page order.   5 and cosmetics products whose 
manufacture, import, or sale 
is restricted finds the presence 
of plastic microbeads, the 
competent authority may 
requi re the manufacturer, 
importer, or to remove the 
products from sale, recall the 
products, or return the 
products within a specified 
time limit.  products whose ma nufacture, 
import, or sale is restricted finds 
the presence of plastic 
microbeads, the competent 
authority may require the 
manufacturer, importer, or to 
remove the products from sale, 
recall the products, or return the 
products within a specified time 
limit.