2016 was an important year in the fight against plastic microbeads and other microplastics in personal care products. Many countries have introduced a ban or are about to. That is why the theme of the Politics Plume this year is the international fight against the microbead. Without this fight, it would be unthinkable for the new Prime Minister of Great Britain, Theresa May, to have made the following statement, as she recently did, in the British parliament: ‘Microbeads clearly have an impact on marine life’.
Every year, the Plastic Soup Foundation awards a Plume to a politician, who has taken action against plastic soup. Up to now, only national politicians have been nominated. This year, we have taken a look over the border and the general public can vote for one of the following:
From left to right:
- President Barack Obama (US)
- Member of UK Parliament Mary Creagh (UK)
- Employment Minister Kellie Leitch (CA)
- EPA Department of Waste Management Director Wu Sheng-chung (吳盛忠) (TW)
- Sharon Dijksma, deputy minister of infrastructure / environment (NL)