Sinn Fein is calling for a ban on all products containing microbeads in Northern Ireland.

The party's Spokesperson on Energy, the Environment and Climate Change, Cathal Boylan made the call following a decision to prohibit the manufacture of the plastic product in England.

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He said: "Every year thousands of tonnes of plastic microbeads from personal care products such as shower gels and face scrubs wash into the sea causing serious harm to wildlife, polluting our oceans and affecting our health

"If we are serious about fighting against ocean pollution, a small but significant step would be to ban the production and sale of products that contain microbeads in the North."

(CD/LM)