How Can I Tell if a Product Has Microbeads in it?

#EcoAdvice from our expert

Dear Dr. Donley,

How can I tell if my face wash and other personal care products contain those miniscule plastic beads that end up in the oceans and are ingested by fish, birds and other wildlife?

Signed,

Pissed about Pesky Plastic Particles in Particular

Dear P5,

Fortunately, several months ago President Obama signed a new law that will phase microbeads out of cosmetic personal care products. For the most part, this was a very strong bill and it sailed through both houses of Congress in the political equivalent of a blink of an eye. Bizarro world? Opposite day? Whatever your explanation, it was definitely out of the ordinary.

How on earth did a clean piece of environmental legislation get through a conservative Congress so easily? As it has done so often in the past, the state of California led the way. A few states had enacted microbead bans prior to the federal ban, but it was California’s that drew the ire of industry by closing a critical loophole that was present in several other state bans including Illinois, Colorado and Indiana.

This strong industry opposition resulted in a two-year roller coaster ride through the California legislature and culminated in a squeaker of a vote — with a ban just barely being signed into law. This was a very public and bruising defeat for an industry that cares very deeply about how it is perceived and they finally saw the writing on the wall. When a federal microbead ban — based on California’s — was introduced, it had little to no public opposition.

While this is great news, it will take a couple of years for microbeads to leave store shelves. So in the interim, a quick glance at the label will tell you what you need to know. Steer clear of products containing “polyethylene” or “polypropylene.” Be aware that the major weakness of the microbead ban is that non rinse-off cosmetics, like makeup and lip gloss, are not covered. So double check that label before getting gussied up.

When it comes to plastic, consumer choice can be influential and it is always good to be better informed about the products you buy. But it is important to realize that consumer demand alone will not solve our plastic pollution problem. The entire system is stacked to prevent consumer choice. When enough plastic has been manufactured to coat our entire planet in plastic wrap, anything less than a complete paradigm shift is simply not good enough.

But as we’ve seen with the microbead ban, change can happen — and even grassroots organizers in California can defeat powerful interests and drive national change. States and local municipalities continue to lead the way and I urge you to get involved in any capacity you are able.

Stay wild,

Dr. Donley

For more info, check out our plastics campaign to see how the Center is working to affect change

Dr. Nathan Donley is a scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity who answers questions about how environmental toxins affect people, wildlife and the environment. Send him your questions at AskDrDonley@biologicaldiversity.org

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