New Zealand is the latest country to join the United Nations-led CleanSeas campaign which aims to rid the seas of plastic waste.
Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage made the announcement this afternoon at the Volvo Ocean Race Village in Auckland.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says microbeads in things like facial cleansers, bath scrubs and toothpaste cause environmental damage.
"There's been so many times where I've seen rubbish in the sea or on the shore and thought who threw that and why are we so careless with single use plastic," she said.
The Government has pledged to significantly reduce waste by 2020 and will start developing steps to prevent plastic and other litter entering our oceans.
Already the government has banned the use of microbeads which comes into effect in June.
More than 40 other countries, including Canada, South Africa and Chile, have already signed up.
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