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| (Source:http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/01/congress_bans_microbeads_in_fa.html) |
In recent months, stories of face washes and scrubs containing microbeads and their links to ocean pollution, have flooded the media. Now, in recognition of the problem of microplastics, Barack Obama has just signed the 'Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015'. This bans the production and intentional addition of plastic microbeads like the ones commonly found in face and body scrubs.
It is estimated that 11 million microbeads end up in our water systems every day and whilst not directly harmful on their own, microbeads often attract harmful chemicals such as PCBs which stick to their surface and are then subsequently ingested by marine life.
The ban will come into effect on 1st July 2017 with several US states (California, Connecticut, New Jersey and Illinois) having already banned microbeads. Major companies such as Unilever are also pledging to phase out the use of microbeads in their products.
There are now calls for the UK to follow in US footsteps and also ban microbeads and in the meantime to at least make it clear which products contain the harmful tiny plastic pieces so that consumers who want to can make a point of using microbead-free ones. Although some companies, for example, Colgate-Palmolive, have voluntarily removed the microbeads from their products after criticism, many others continue to manufacture microbeads.
Hopefully in the near future, the problem of microplastics and in particular in the form of microbeads, can be globally recognised with more countries introducing a ban. Until then, we can all play a part in trying to reduce the amount of plastic entering our oceans by making a simple switch to microbead-free products.
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