HB 4766 — Summary (Plastic Microbead Prohibition)
Status and procedural history
- Bill number: HB 4766 (House introduced bill). Companion: SB 2444.
- Filed/Introduced: March 13, 2025. Electronically reproduced: August 13, 2025.
- Major House actions provided: Read and passed by the House (third reading/record vote) on May 15, 2025; committee referrals and hearings occurred in April–May 2025. On August 13, 2025 the bill record shows re-introduction/reading and referral to Committee on Regulatory Reform.
Purpose / intent
- To prohibit the manufacture, sale, distribution, and promotional offering of products and materials that intentionally contain plastic microbeads, with phased effective dates and narrow exceptions, in order to reduce the release of small plastic particles into the environment.
Key definitions (selected)
- “Plastic microbead”: an intentionally added solid plastic particle measuring 5 millimeters or less in every dimension.
- “Personal care product”: articles applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering appearance (excludes prescription drugs).
- “Cleaning product”: includes automotive products, general cleaning products, floor polish/maintenance products, and “air care products” (products labeled to freshen or condition indoor air).
- “Plastic”: synthetic organic polymers produced by linking monomers; excludes naturally occurring, unmodified polymers.
Main provisions / requirements
- Section 14732(a): Effective January 1, 2026 — ban on manufacturing, promotional offering, sale, or distribution in Michigan of any material that contains plastic microbeads and is intended for use in the state. This 2026 prohibition excludes personal care products and cleaning products (those are phased separately).
- Section 14732(b): Effective January 1, 2027 — ban on offering for promotional purposes, selling, or distributing personal care products or cleaning products that contain plastic microbeads and are intended for use in Michigan. Exception: allowed if microbead content is less than 1 part per million (ppm) by weight.
- Enforcement and penalty: Violations (or related rules) subject to civil fines up to $2,000 per day. County prosecutors or the Attorney General may sue to collect fines; collected fines are deposited in the state general fund. Courts consider factors such as nature/extent of violations, economic effect, good-faith compliance efforts, and deterrence in setting fines.
- Agency duties: The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) administers/enforces the subpart, must publish a summary of prohibitions and a reporting mechanism on its website, and must prepare annual reports (first due July 1, 2028) on enforcement and progress. EGLE may adopt rules under the Administrative Procedures Act to implement the subpart.
Who is affected
- Manufacturers, formulators, importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and promoters of materials, personal care products, and cleaning products for use in Michigan.
- Consumers may see product reformulation and product availability changes. EGLE and prosecutors would carry enforcement responsibilities.
Potential impacts and practical considerations
- Industry will likely need to reformulate affected products, verify microbead content (testing to confirm <1 ppm where applicable), and adjust labeling/supply chains before the 2026–2027 effective dates.
- Environmental aim: reduce intentional introduction of small plastic particles to water, soils, and waste streams.
- Administrative: EGLE rulemaking, outreach, and annual monitoring/reporting obligations.
Effective dates
- Materials ban (non–personal-care/cleaning goods): January 1, 2026.
- Personal care and cleaning products ban (with <1 ppm exception): January 1, 2027.
