How that ‘Microbead’ Formula Could End Up On Your Dinner Plate

Each morning, many Americans wake up and use face wash or body wash with ingredients called Microbeads—a synthetic exfoliant material that is beginning to be recognized as a pollutant. While Microbeads seem rather innocuous, these particles are making their way into our waterways and ultimately have detrimental effects on the functioning of marine systems. Few realize that these microplastics could ultimately end up on the dinner plate.

According to research conducted in New Zealand, the average consumer who lives in a major developed nation now has a product containing microplastics that he or she uses on a weekly or daily basis. The key ingredient that's problematic? The tiny polyethylene pieces which are often described on packaging as “Microbeads,” “micro-exfoliants,” or part of the product's “Microbead formula.” Such products are now manufactured throughout the world—from Germany to Thailand.

Plastic particles have not always been a primary means of cleansing our skin. Plastics began to become popular during the middle part of the 20th century. Their use in creating new products, or substituting for natural ingredients, only grew during the latter part of the last century. Manufacturers have shifted from natural exfoliants such as pumice or apricot and walnut husks, which have a slight risk of skin damage if these ingredients are not cut or ground small enough, to synthetic exfoliants. These plastic-based products are usually much cheaper to produce and are made of polyethylene, polypropylene, or polystyrene particles. But although these synthetic particles are cheaper, the likelihood of them having long-term impacts is becoming evident.

The reason man-made exfoliants are so problematic for our environment is they pass through storm water and sewage drainage systems. Because of their incredibly small size, often less than 0.5 mm in diameter, these particles often miss capture in preliminary treatment screens on wastewater plants.

After they go down the drain, they can end up in our major river systems and eventually our oceans. As these particles float in our water and often end up sinking to the bottoms of our water systems, the rays of the sun, notably UVB, cause these plastics to become brittle and break apart.

According to research from The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, crustaceans and filter-feeding organisms, such as starfish and sea urchins, then ingest these particles. The plastics ingested by a creature like a sea urchin never really disappear; instead they simply break down into smaller and smaller fragments. The tiny synthetic material creates intestinal blockage in these creatures, often resulting in starvation. As these species become weak they are easier prey for other marine life higher in the food chain.

The fragments work their way up through the food chain and accumulate in the bodies of larger seafood that humans eat, like sardines and tuna. The Microbeads that come in body wash and rinse down the drain can eventually make their way into the human digestive system.

This isn't the first time a plastic consumer product has threatened marine life. Back in the 1970s, environmental groups asked consumers to properly dispose of plastic six-pack soda can holders to prevent entanglement of fish and birds if the plastic parts should make it into waterways. Ultimately their push was successful, and the use of such packaging is now created to be able to photo-degrade within 90 days under enough sunlight. ITW Hi-Cone, the pioneer in six-pack ring manufacturing, began to create this alternative following legislation so as to reduce the products’ negative impact on the environment.

One alternative to Microbeads is going back to using natural exfoliants such as walnut husks or pumice. The more expensive solution is to change the water purification systems to capture small pollutants like Microbeads. Consumers can also create their own exfoliant scrubs with common natural products. Many recipes use ingredients such as oatmeal, ground rice, or bran, combined with a pinch of lemon or lime juice to add a refreshing scent. Several products, such as a line of exfoliants offered by Burt’s Bees, do not contain synthetic exfoliants and serve as an easy alternative.

When perusing body washes and scrubs at your next visit to the bath and body products aisle, consumers should consider the long-term impacts of the purchase. As consumers, making smart choices at the store shelf can prevent the burgeoning risk these polymers pose to our health and the health of our environment.