[ D R A F T ]  S T A T U T O R Y  R U L E S  O F  N O R T H E R N  
I R E L A N D  
2018 No.  
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTEC TION  
The Environmental Protection (Microbeads) Regulations (Northern 
Ireland) 2018  
 
Made  - - - - *** 
Coming into operation  -  2018  
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, in exer cise of the powers 
conferred by A rticle 32(1), (2)(b) and (c) and (6)  of the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern 
Ireland) Order 1997 (a), makes the following Regulations.  
In accordance with Article 32(3) of that Order, the Department  has published  a notice indicating 
the effect of these Regulations and has taken into consideration the representations made to it in 
accordance with the notice . 
Citation  and commencement  
1.These Regulations may be cited as the Environmental Protection (Micr obeads) Regulations 
(Northern Ireland) 2018 and shall come into operation on  2018.  
Interpretation  
2. In these Regulations — 
“authorised person ” means a person authorised under regulation 4(1) ; 
“the Department” means the Department of Agriculture, Environment  and Rural Affairs;  
“microbead” means any water -insoluble solid plastic particle of less than or equal to 5mm in 
any dimension ; 
“plastic ” means  a synthetic polymeric substance that can be moulded, extruded or physically 
manipulated into various solid forms and that retains its final manufactured shape during 
use in its intended applications ; 
“rinse -off personal care pr oduct” means any substance, or mixture of substances, 
manufactured for the purpose of being applied to any relevant human body part in the 
course of any personal care treatment, by an application which entails at its completion 
the prompt and specific remo val of the product (or any residue of the product) by washing 
or rinsing with water, rather than leaving it to wear off or wash off, or be absorbed or 
shed, in the course of time;  
and for this purpose — 
                                                                                                                                            
(a)  S.I. 1997/2778  (N.I. 19)   2 (a) a “personal care treatment” means any process of cleaning, protecting or 
perfuming a relevant human body part, maintaining or restoring its condition or 
changing its appearance; and  
(b) a “relevant human body part” is — 
(i) any external part of the human body  (including any part of the epidermis, 
hair sys tem, nails or lips);  
(ii) the teeth; or  
(iii) mucous membranes of the oral cavity;  and 
“supply”, in relation to a rinse -off personal care product, means supply by way of sale or 
its presentation as a promotional prize or gift in  the course of a business.  
Offences  and penalties  
3.—(1) A person who, in the manufacture of any rinse -off personal care product, uses microbeads 
as an ingredient of that product is guilty of an offence.  
(2) A person who supplies, offers to supply any rinse -off personal care product containing 
microbeads is guilty of an offence.  
(3) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (1) or (2) is liable — 
(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale ; or 
(b) on conviction on indictment, t o a term of imprisonment not exceeding 2 years . 
(4) A person who fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement to provide 
information imposed under regulation 4(2) is guilty of an offence and is liable — 
(a)  on summary conviction to a fine not  exceeding the statutory maximum; or  
(b) on conviction on indictment, to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 2 years, or to a fine 
or to both.  
Enforcement  
4.—(1) The Department shall, for the purpose of Article 72 (1) of the Waste and Contaminated 
Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 , determine whether an offence under regulation 3(1) or (2) 
has been committed and may authorise in writing a person to exercise any of the powers in Article 
72(2) for that purpose . 
(2) An authorised person  [or any district council] may, for the purposes of these Regulations, by 
notice in writing serve d on any person requir e that person to furnish such information  specified in 
the notice  as the authorised person [or, as the case may be, the co uncil]  reasonably considers is 
needed, in such form and within such period following service of the notice, or at such time, as is  
so specified.  
 
 
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs  on 
*** 
 
 A se nior officer of the  Department of 
Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs  
 
  3  
 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTE  
(This note is not part of the Regulations)  
These Regulations prohibit the use of microbeads as an ingredient in the manufacture of rinse -off 
personal care products and the sale of any such products containing microbeads.  
Regulation 3 creates an offence for a breach of the prohibition on the manufacture and sale of such 
products  or to provide information when required . 
Regulation 4 gives persons authorised under these Regulations the power to obtain information.