http://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2018/760/regulation/2The Environmental Protection (Microbeads) (Wales) Regulations 2018enENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, WALESStatute Law Database2026-03-25Expert Participation2023-02-07 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). Breach of this prohibition is an offence (regulation 3). Definitions of “microbead” and “rinse-off personal care product” are contained in regulation 2. The prohibition on the manufacture and sale of any such products will come into force on 30th June 2018. PART 1 2 In these Regulations— “authorised purpose” (“diben awdurdodedig”) means the purpose of determining whether an offence under regulation 3(1) or 3(2) has been or is being committed, or any requirement of a compliance notice, a stop notice or an enforcement undertaking under these Regulations has been, or is being contravened; “compliance notice” (“hysbysiad cydymffurfio”) has the meaning given by paragraph 1(1)(b) of the Schedule; “enforcement undertaking” (“ymgymeriad gorfodaeth”) has the meaning given by paragraph 17 of the Schedule; “microbead” (“microbelen”) means any water-insoluble solid plastic particle of less than or equal to 5mm in any dimension; “plastic” (“plastig”) 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; “the regulator” (“y rheoleiddiwr”), for the purposes of the enforcement of an offence under regulation 3(1), 3(2) or 10(1) means, in relation to any place at which a rinse-off personal care product is manufactured or supplied, the local authority with responsibility for the area in which the place is situated; and for this purpose “local authority” (“awdurdod lleol”) means a county or county borough council constituted under section 21 of the Local Government Act 1972; “rinse-off personal care product” (“cynnyrch gofal personol i’w rinsio i ffwrdd”) 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 removal 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 “personal care treatment” (“triniaeth gofal personol”) means any process of cleaning, protecting or perfuming a relevant human body part, maintaining or restoring its condition or changing its appearance; and a “relevant human body part” (“rhan berthnasol o’r corff dynol”) is— any external part of the human body (including any part of the epidermis, hair system, nails or lips); the teeth; or mucous membranes of the oral cavity; “stop notice” (“hysbysiad stop”) has the meaning given by paragraph 9(2) of the Schedule; “supply”, (“cyflenwi”) 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; “third party undertaking” (“ymgymeriad trydydd parti”) has the meaning given by paragraph 3(1) of the Schedule; “Wales” (“Cymru”) has the meaning given under section 158 of the Government of Wales Act 2006. Reg. 2 in force at 30.6.2018, see reg. 1(2)