The draft order on prohibition of microplastics in rinse-off cosmetic products contains an interim prohibition against the import, export and sale of rinse-off cosmetic products containing microplastics. Its objective is to protect the marine environment from microplastics and the order is associated with the Plastic Action Plan, which is a national action plan whose objectives include reducing the amount of microplastic discharged into the environment. The prohibition against the import, export and sale of rinse-off cosmetic products containing microplastics has been proposed in order to combat the presence of microplastics in lakes, watercourses and the marine environment, and their negative consequences. Plastic can be a useful material but the increase in global plastic pollution is alarming. Microplastics are small pieces of plastic of less than 5 millimetres that are added to certain cosmetic products such as defoliants and shampoo. Microplastics have been used as an ingredient in cosmetic products for many decades. There are currently suitable alternatives to the use of microplastics, including silica, grains and salt, so it is possible to replace microplastics with other good alternatives that do not have the same negative impact on the environment. There are still no EU regulations that ban microplastics in cosmetic products.

The microplastic order contains a ban on the import, export and sale of rinse-off cosmetic products that contain microplastics.