8 yrs, 2 mths ago

A ban on microbeads

President Barack Obama signed the Microbead Free Waters Act of 2015 on Dec 28, 2015. The bill requires that all products containing plastic microbeads will begin to be phased out starting July 1, 2017. Environmentalists have warned that these tiny plastic beads found in exfoliators, scrubs, and toothpastes easily end up in lakes, rivers, and oceans. There, they pick up toxic pollutants and are ingested by fish, which are then ingested by humans.

Research conducted by Oregon State University found that eight tons of microbeads a day are emitted into bodies of water in the US and 90% of the planet’s seabirds have pieces of plastic in their guts.

In New York alone, nearly 19 tons of microbeads are washed into wastewater yearly, according to a report from the office of the state’s attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman. Likewise, the Great Lakes, which contain 20% of the world’s freshwater, are riddled with microbeads. Research from 2013 conducted by the State University of New York found that Lake Ontario contained an estimated 1.1 million plastic particles per square kilometer.

Read the article on why biodegradable microbeads are not a safe alternative either: https://www.yahoo.com/beauty/say-goodbye-to-your-microbead-exfoliators-194745613.html

43 comments 32 voices

Replies

  • 4 yrs, 5 mths ago

    When you hear ‘walnut’ in the description you would think that was the main exfoliant. They love pretending their products are natural.

  • 4 yrs, 5 mths ago

    I’ve been hearing a lot about microbeads in Kylie Jenner’s skincare line:

    Kylie Jenner’s new walnut-based face scrub could be dangerous: experts

  • 4 yrs, 5 mths ago

    It seems the term “microbeads” refers to all microparticles, so you really need to read the ingredients. I saw some good exfoliating products from The Body Shop which contained jojoba esters (packaging said “microbeads”) and a vitamin c microderm abrasion one containing crushed garnet.
    On a side note, I remember reviewing a great foot scrub by Nutrimetics which used bamboo powder. That would have to be a better alternative in any exfoliating products.

  • 7 yrs, 7 mths ago

    I bought the Garnier “wake me up radiance booster scrub” today as part of the Priceline 40% off skincare promo… Didn’t realise until I got home that it contains “polyethylene” 🙁 Will be returning the product tomorrow and buying a more “natural” face scrub.

  • 7 yrs, 7 mths ago

    When I threw out my Bioré Warming Anti-Blackhead Cleanser, I ended up fishing it out of the bin again. I didn’t use it, but it was hard to part with. I’ve finally thrown it out. I previously reviewed this & gave it a 5 star review. I re-reviewed on the weekend, giving just 1 star, but the review hasn’t been approved yet.

  • 8 yrs ago

    yikes, a picture does say a thousand words.

  • 8 yrs ago

    Of course, I don’t want to upset or offend anybody, but here’s a picture that says a thousand words. And it goes a lot further than this one bird if we just think about the cycle for a moment.

  • 8 yrs ago

    There are many things we’re constantly using other than microbeads that are killing the environment, animals, and ourselves. The world wants us to be unconscious though, and companies will profit in the meantime.
    You’d think we’d stop using/buying/supporting/doing things when we find out how evil it is… But most humans don’t!
    I guess threads like these are a good place to start.

  • 8 yrs ago

    Hey EmmaApple, on page 1 of this thread, I mentioned that I googled “What are microbeads made of?” & this is what to look for in the list of ingredients:

    • Polyethylene (PE),
    • Polypropylene (PP),
    • Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET),
    • Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)
    • Nylon

    Petal listed a website in her comment here: http://www.beautyheaven.com.au/forums/skincare/a-ban-on-microbeads?page=1#comment-2466366 I downloaded lists from this website. There is a green list which contains all the microbead free products & an orange & red list of products that do contain microbeads. I’ve referred to these three lists repeatedly since I downloaded them.

  • 8 yrs ago

    Good point out GildedButterflies!
    I would boycott all microbeads products since it is no good for mother earth.

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