Do you know about microbeads? These are tiny little beads of polyethylene or other plastics that are in many of our personal care products. From toothpastes to facial cleansers, they make the products more effective at removing debris.
Microbeads?
These ingredients may not be as beneficial as they may sound. In our office we have often seen these little blue beads embedded between the teeth. They act as an abrasive agent but in the end they wind up becoming debris themselves. The debris is also harmful to the environment. These particles are small enough to pass through water treatment plants and enter our waterways where they ultimately end up in the bellies of fish. The Great Lakes are polluted with these particles. These particles take forever to degrade.
Science has shown that some plastics attract toxins and some may even be hormone disrupters mimicking estrogen. We are hurting ourselves and our environment by using these products.
I am personally bewildered by what is going on. Four years ago I read articles on microbeads, pollution and the personal and environmental risk these pose. At that time I chose to find products that did not use them. I can't understand if there was research condemning their use, why are new products manufactured with them? In terms of environmental and health preservation, I was way ahead. Large bodies of research are proving how detrimental these ingredients are to us. My advice is to stay educated and don't expect products manufacturers to have your best interest at heart.
What can you do to avoid microbeads?
Many companies have pledged to remove these beads from their products. For instance Crest plans to remove microbeads from their toothpaste products next year. My recommendation is to avoid using all products containing microbeads as soon as possible.
Till next time...