The plastic microbead conversation continues to gain momentum.

Plastic microbeads are small polyethylene beads present in many consumer products including some toothpastes, body washes and other personal care items.

Plastic microbeads are causing havoc in major U.S. waterways because they are small enough to pass through water treatment facilities and therefore end up in the environment. One of the worst affected areas is Lake Ontario, which contains approximately 1.1 million microbeads per square km.

A big issue with the beads is that persistent organic pollutants can accumulate and, when ingested by animals, these toxins get magnified up the food chain. The effects can be disastrous!

What are states doing about it?

States are responding by introducing plastic microbead bans. Illinois, Colorado and New Jersey introduced legislation that bans the use of plastic microbeads in consumer products. Any product containing plastic microbeads cannot be sold in Illinois after 2018.

The California State Assembly passed the nation’s toughest ban earlier this year and the bill is now at the state senate where a similar measure was defeated by a single vote last year. A new ballot in the chamber could take place any day now.

11 additional states including Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, Mississippi, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming are seeking to ban plastic microbeads with approximately the same timelines.

Late last month, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman joined with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to push for a federal ban.

What are companies doing about it?

Some companies are getting ahead of the imminent regulations by phasing plastic microbeads out of their products and either finding safer alternatives, or eliminating them altogether. Examples include global giants Unilever, L’Oreal, Johnson and Johnson and P&G.

Some brands do not use plastic microbeads in their products and never will. Instead they opt for natural exfoliants such as apricot pits and walnut shells. Eco-chic organic brand Juice Beauty uses dissolvable organic jojoba beads and EOProducts do not provide any formulations with microbeads or microbead alternatives.

What can consumers do about it?

The easy answer is simply not to purchase products that contain plastic microbeads. To send a stronger message, perhaps consumers should not purchase any products from companies that are not phasing out of, or looking for safer alternatives to plastic microbeads.

Impact to your business

Questions to Consider:

• Do your products contain plastic microbeads?
• Are you finding safer alternatives to plastic microbeads?

For help with any issue associated with chemicals, contact Amanda Cattermole at (415) 412 8406 or Amanda@cattermoleconsulting.com. We can help you develop powerful solutions to protect your company and brand reputation that result in safer products manufactured in cleaner supply chains.

Tips and Insights contains information to help you make informed chemicals management decisions. Each post highlights a particular topic and includes questions for you to consider .