The draft rules will follow a ‘polluter pays principle’, which means businesses will have to cover 80% of the extra clean-up costs.

Cosmetic companies in the European Union will be forced to pay more to clean up microplastic pollution after the EU announced a new deal to treat sewage, as part of the EU Green Deal. ​

Draft rules that are set to follow a “polluter pays principle”, state that companies that sell cosmetics and medicines must cover at least 80% of the extra costs to remove tiny pollutants from urban wastewater, rather than it be funded by the local water tariffs or the public budget. The governments in each member state will then pay the rest of the sum as a contribution towards industry.

Read more