Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey has joined forces with Canada in the fight against plastic waste entering and damaging the world’s oceans.

Last week she met the country’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna and Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, to look at how the two countries can unite in further tackling marine damage.

Similarly to the UK, Canada has already banned microbeads in cosmetics and other products.

The ministers also discussed the vital role industry must play in reducing waste and met with Mars and Coca Cola to see how major producers are tackling the problem.

Ms Coffey said: “In the UK we have already banned microbeads and cracked down on plastic bags and in 25 years’ time we will have eliminated all avoidable plastic waste.

“I look forward to working with my international counterparts to do all we can to protect our oceans for future generations.”