Microbead's Are Officially Banned
Microbead's Are Officially Banned
After much debate and deliberation, the use of microsbeads has finally been banned in the UK. In case you don't know, microbeads are tiny plastic spheres found in exfoliating scrubs, shower gels and toothpastes as well as other beauty products. So what's the problem with them? Microbeads are small enough in size to pass through water filtration systems so they pollute our oceans and waterways, meaning that they end up in the stomach's of marine life. In turn, they end up in the stomach's of fish eater's too. Manufacturers are now banned from making products with microbeads in, and in July a ban on sales will follow.
For those concerned about the impact this will have on their skincare routine, the great news is that there are plenty of ways to exfoliate without them using natural alternatives such as ground apricot kernels, seeds, rice powder or clay.
Whilst the ban is a huge step for prevention of plastic pollution, they are only part of a problem. The next step is to move towards reducing plastic water bottle waste, and it's expected that governments will be put under pressure to take steps towards this.