On 14 October 2016, the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu notified the WTO of its intention to ban plastic microbeads in cosmetic products. In an addendum dated 23 January 2017, these countries announce new products covered and an earlier date of entry into force.
The text of the notification
The Environmental Protection Administration intends to notify the following proposed changes to the draft of 'Restrictions on the Manufacture, Import, and Sale of Personal Care and Cosmetics Products Containing Plastic Microbeads (Draft)' notified on 14 October 2016:
1. To add "facial scrub" to the scope
2. To move the date of implementation forward to an earlier date.
For manufacturers and importers, the requirements would be effective on 1 January 2018; for vendors, the requirements would be effective on 1 July 2018.
A comment period of 30 days will be provided for this addendum.
For further information
• See the article
Asia marching towards plastic microbeads ban in cosmetics
, Cosmetic-OBS-L'Observatoire des Cosmétiques, 26 October 2016
• See
the full text of the notification
, on the WTO website
