Tiny particles of plastic found in cosmetics might give you that “morning burst,” or make your skin feel softer, but they’re having a detrimental effect on marine ecosystems. Microbeads, or polyethylene, are found in soaps and toothpastes. They’re so small that they’re missed in the water filtration process and sent back into marine ecosystems. Some commercial products are up to 10 per cent microbeads.
Animals unintentionally consume or absorb the microbeads, which kills them when digestion is too difficult or impossible. In a study published by Marine Pollution Bulletin, 35 per cent of 670 fish examined had plastic inside of their stomachs from a collection of six different species.
While microbeads might benefit humans the first time around, once they’re washed down the drain, they can harm us too. Since most plastic is not biodegradable, it breaks down into smaller pieces for the consumption of smaller marine animals like mussels. If the plastic does break down, it releases chemical toxins into the water that marine animals absorb. These toxins are then indirectly found in our food and drinking supply.
The plastic that can’t break down swirls around the ocean and has been found collecting in the North Pacific in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is estimated that this massive dump is larger than Alberta—even double its size.
NGOs have been raising alarm and pressing multinationals to stop using plastic in their products. Many have pledged to do so, including Proctor and Gamble and The Body Shop, but few have followed through so far.
The Plastic Soup Foundation has created a smart phone app called “Beat the Microbead” which is designed to scan products for the plastic. The app will also tell you if the company is planning to phase microbeads from their products.
Many companies like Burt’s Bees and Jason use natural scrub alternatives made from ground nuts and salts. These products can be expensive while it’s cheap and simple to make alternatives of your own.
Instead of using microbeads to get that extra-clean feeling, the oil cleansing method is a great alternative to washing your face without harming marine ecosystems. Combinations of oils like almond, olive, argan and grape seed are the most common oils used.
You can massage the mixture into your skin and then use a hot facecloth, placed over your face to pull the oil from your pores. This method is said to work because we all have natural oils on our faces that can be replaced with clean oils instead of stripping the oils and leaving the skin dried out. You can also mix these oils with exfoliants like apricot shells, epsom salts, or sugar if the microbead texture is what you’re looking for.
