China will impose a phase-out ban on the production, sales and use of daily chemicals that contain plastic microbeads with a diameter of less than 5 millimeters, according to an official document issued last month. 

The document, which was jointly published on July 10 by the country's top economic planner, its environmental inspector, and seven central government bodies, aims to take more robust measures against plastic pollution. 

On Jan. 19, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment released a guideline which stated that the country would ban the production of daily chemicals containing plastic microbeads by the end of 2020, with sales of existing stock to be prohibited by the end of 2022. 

"These policies show that China is taking solid actions in global environmental governance," said Li Yang, an associate professor at the School of Environment, Beijing Normal University (BNU). 

According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNDP), microbeads are intentionally designed microplastic particles, which are widely applied in cosmetics and personal care products for scrubbing and other purposes. These tiny particles cannot be recycled and end up in the ocean once washed down the drain. 

"Plastic microbeads can be easily ingested by marine life. They can either cause physical injury to the body of aquatic animals or become toxic to them via oxidative stress," Li said. "Also, the comparatively huge surface area of microbeads allows them to absorb various persistent organic pollutants, such as PCBs and PAHs, and heavy metals, such as chromium and cadmium." 

Li warned that these pollutants and toxins would inevitably enter the food chain, posing a serious threat to the aquatic ecosystem and humanity. 

"China is determined to control its consumption of microbeads at the source," said Xia Xinghui, a professor at the School of Environment, BNU, during an online interview with China.org.cn. 

Xia believes these policies will encourage companies to find natural, harmless and biodegradable alternatives for microbeads, such as those made of oats, almonds or walnut shell. "This also helps to raise awareness among consumers and reduce the number of microbeads poured into the ocean," Xia noted. 

On June 2, central China's Henan province issued a working plan to comprehensively upgrade its ban on plastic products. The sales of daily chemicals containing plastic microbeads have been gradually prohibited in four pilot cities in the province. 

Xia urged local government at different levels to act promptly in accordance with the country policies. "These policies specify the standard of microbeads, thus providing fundamentals for the treatment works." 

Speaking from an academic point of view, Xia said that future studies would need to evaluate the relationship between the most common microplastics and people's health. "In addition, researchers should work on the sewage treatment system to tackle both traditional pollutants and microbeads," Xia added. 

Wen Zongguo, a professor at the School of Environment, Tsinghua University, believes that this provides an opportunity for plastic-related industries to "switch from a linear economy to a sustainable one." 

"Companies dealing with mechanical and chemical recycling in the upper stream of the industrial chain will see rapid development under this opportunity," said Wen. 

Wen further noted that China's move demonstrates that the country is playing its role as a responsible country in the world. "China is actively working under the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR)," said Wen. CBDR was formalized in international law at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. 

"Meanwhile, it is worth noting that plastic pollution is an issue facing all humans; thus, better collaboration is crucial for the world to find treatment for both plastic pollutions and the new plastic economy," Wen concluded. 

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