An interministry consultative body to deal with microplastic problems will be launched Wednesday, the Ministry of Environment said Tuesday.

Eight ministries, including the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, will participate in the consultative body.

The intentional use of microplastics – plastic debris less than 5 millimeters in diameter – to improve products' quality, such as using microplastics in laundry detergent, toothpaste and shampoo, has been banned since Jan. 1, 2021. However, the problem of unintentionally created microplastics during the process of manufacturing, using and disposing of plastic products remains.

As there is no method to estimate the exact amount of existing microplastics, and no research on how it affects the human body, the Environment Ministry is planning to conduct related research and to develop risk assessment technology to identify microplastic emissions and distribution.

"There are concerns about microplastics influence on human body and health, so cooperation between ministries is urgently needed," said Hwang Kye-young, director of the Environmental Health Bureau of the Ministry of Environment.