Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to include steps on microplastic fibres pollution as part of its work on reducing the effect of plastic waste.

As part of the work on reducing the effect of plastic waste and to prioritise areas for further action, Defra has been reviewing documented sources of microplastic pollution entering the environment. It is clear that microplastics in various forms, including microplastic fibres arising from laundering textiles, are a significant source of freshwater and marine litter around the world. Other sources also need to be considered to help reduce the amount of plastic waste entering the environment.

There are Evidence gaps in this area so we have commissioned research which will inform future policy options to further reduce the impact of plastic waste.