The Micro Bead Crisis
By Ashtyn Dolenuck and Emma Burtis
A problem our nation is facing today is plastic pollution, specifically micro beads,
which affects the overall health of Canada’s population and its environment, due to its
hazardous influence.
Believe it or not, your morning face washing routine may be adding to the plastic
pollution problem our country, and the rest of the world, is facing today.
This is partly due to the micro beads found in your face wash, toothpaste, and
body and face scrubs.
Did you know, micro beads range in size from 0.0004 to 1.24 millimeters, and
that they cause a great threat to the wildlife and the environment? Micro beads also have
a lifetime of 500 to 1000 years and do not break down over time. In response to the micro
bead hazard, countries like Canada and the United States are working towards banning
micro beads in self-care products.
Scientists have estimated that the plastic concentration in the Great Lakes can be
as high as 580,000 pieces of plastic per square kilometer. In December of 2013, a study
was published that explained how bad the plastic pollution in the Great Lakes really is. It
discovered that Lake Michigan had an average of 17,000 micro beads per square
kilometer, while some areas of Lake Ontario had 1.1 million micro beads per square
kilometer. In a way that’s possible to understand, this means that in the plastic pollution
in Lake Ontario equates to 28-Olympic sized pools full of plastic a year, and in Lake
Michigan, it is approximately 100 Olympic-sized pools every year.
This is an extreme danger to our Great Lakes because the tiny beads, once washed
down the drain, are not filtered out in water treatment plants due to the fact that these
filtrations are not designed to find plastic beads so small. Inevitably, they end up in our
lakes where sea life will find them. While floating around in the waters the beads absorb
toxins and pesticides, which are then ingested by fish due to the fact that they look like
food. The beads will cause damage to not only the fish but also the whole food chain. Of
course, indirectly, this effects us if we consume any of the wild life effected by the micro
bead crisis.
Dr. Chelsea Rochman, a marine ecotoxicologist and environmental chemist,
specializes in studying how plastics, not only micro beads, find their way into our
waterways, and how that can impact the wildlife. She explained to the National
Geographic that the colorful beads you find in your toothpaste and skin care products are
actually pieces of plastic. On the ingredients label, it is usually referred to as polyethylene
or polypropylene, which are the two main plastics that make up micro beads.
If you look at the ingredients label for your skin care products and toothpaste, it is
likely this plastic will be present. However, companies like Bath & Body Works
have decided to remove micro beads from their products altogether and have replaced it
with sugar so it will dissolve in water and not pose a threat to any marine life. On the
other hand, brands such as Clean & Clear continue to use micro beads in their products,
and are one that many people use on a regular basis. This brand in particular is said
to contain 330,000 micro beads in one bottle, which adds up quickly.
Countries like Canada are participating in the movement to ban micro beads. “The
federal government says it will ban the sale of shower gels, toothpaste, and facial scrubs
containing plastic micro beads, effective July 1st, 2018,” says the Toronto Star. The Star
also says that the beads were declared toxic in June of 2016. The proposed ban of micro
beads is to change the Canadian Environmental Protection Act; which will begin with
putting a stop to the manufacturing and importation of micro beads. Additionally, the
sales ban will be effective six months later.
In addition to the banning of micro beads, the toothpaste brand Crest says they are
working towards eliminating all micro beads in their toothpastes by March 2016,
according to a statement released to ABC15 in Phoenix. A representative for the
company stated, "while the ingredient on question is completely safe, approved for use in
foods by the FDA, and part of an enjoyable brushing experience for millions of
consumers with no issues, we understand there is a growing preference to remove this
ingredient. So we will."
The toothpaste controversy began when dental hygienists were finding these small
plastic micro beads in their patients' gums. Now to be clear, there is no scientific
evidence to say that micro beads caught in your teeth cause any prominent health issues,
but it is inconvenient when your dental hygienist has to pick plastic out of your teeth.
These micro beads, by the way, could be compared to popcorn kernels which sometimes
get stuck in your teeth.
In final, micro beads are extremely hazardous to our environment due to its
effects on wildlife, and our own health. Considering the amount of micro beads that are
going down our drains, consider how many animal lives could be saved if we prohibited
the use of these dangerous plastics in products. It also affects the food chain, and
inevitably us.
Perhaps if the Canadian government is to hop on the bandwagon of prohibiting
micro beads, then one day maybe the rest of the world will catch on, and they will do the
same.
At the end of the day, it is all about making sure our environment is happy and
healthy. We only get one earth. We should make a point of taking care of it.
Works Cited
Andrew, Elise. "Microbeads In Soaps Facing Bans Due To Great Lakes Pollution." N.p.,
15 Aug. 2016. Web. 20 Mar. 2017.
"Crest Will Eliminate Microbeads From Its Toothpastes." Yahoo! Yahoo!, 18 Sept. 2014.
Web. 20 Mar. 2017.
Staff. "Plastic microbeads will be banned in Canada, effective mid-2018." Global News.
N.p., 04 Nov. 2016. Web. 20 Mar. 2017.
Spears, Tom. "Rochester scientist counts the plastics in Great Lakes." Ottawa Sun. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2017.
Weissmann, Jordan. "Why the Government Just Banned Those Plastic Microbeads in
Your Face Wash." Slate Magazine. N.p., 30 Dec. 2015. Web. 20 Mar. 2017.
Zhang, Sarah. "Why Those Little Plastic Microbeads in Your Soap Are So Bad."
Gizmodo. Gizmodo.com, 15 June 2014. Web. 20 Mar. 2017.