A Facial My Be Treat For Your Skin, But It Can Be A Disaster For Our Seas
creativecommons.org/Shawn Campbell
Pampering-lovers: Every time you exfoliate with many of the leading scrubs, peels and washes, tiny bits of plastic go down the drain.
This means that you are flushing plastic into the seas, where it contributes to the growing problem of plastic pollution.
"It's incredible how many everyday products contain microplastic beads,” explained Dr Sue Kinsey, the Marine Conservation Society’s litter policy 0fficer. “These find their way through our sewers and into our seas where they are easily eaten by all sorts of marine animals – and could ultimately end up back in the human food chain.
“These bits of plastic are so small that our sewage works cannot deal with them, so when used they are essentially washed straight to river and sea”.
Although a number of leading manufacturers of beauty products have stopped or have promised to phase out the use of microbeads in peels, scrubs and washes – including Unilever, Lush and the Body Shop – many firms are unfortunately still using them.
Products that use microbeads will have the following ingredients listed: Polyethylene/Polythene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or Nylon.
Microplastic pollution is having a profound impact on the health of our oceans and demands urgent attention. Consumers can play an pivotal role in helping to put pressure on manufacturers who are dragging their feet over the issue of microbeads in their products. To enable you to vote with your dollars, check out www.goodscrubguide.org