The NSW Environment Protection Authority issued Stop Notices to eight retailers, including Mecca, Sephora, and Asos, instructing them to halt supply of 12 products containing plastic microbeads.

Major beauty retailers are being required to remove microbead-containing skincare products from shelves as part of the crackdown.

In 2026, 12 products were withdrawn from NSW shelves under Compliance (Stop) Notices as part of the EPA’s ongoing enforcement against prohibited plastics.

Contextual factors such as the scope of bans and potential consumer safety implications are noted but not detailed in the excerpt.

The article was updated on September 29, 2026, shortly after its initial publication.

Non-compliance with stop notices is an offence, carrying penalties up to 550,000 Australian dollars, plus 55,000 for each additional day the offence continues.

Compliance notices carry penalties up to 550,000 dollars for wholesalers, manufacturers, and distributors, with an additional 55,000 dollars per day of non-compliance.

EPA director Claire Miles stresses that microbeads are tiny, do not degrade, absorb pollutants, and can cause lasting environmental damage after entering waterways.

The EPA notes microbeads can bypass wastewater treatment, persist in waterways, accumulate pollutants, and enter the food chain, raising environmental and health concerns.

Retailers are urged to perform thorough ingredient checks to prevent banned products from reaching consumers, with most businesses reportedly compliant but some stock still non-compliant four years on.

Retailers are asked to implement robust checks and to report suspected non-compliant products via the EPA’s reporting system.

The Stop Notices cover scalp, body, and facial exfoliants, plus industrial hand cleaners, with listed examples such as Arkive The Crown scalp scrub and Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Happi scalp scrub.