Exfoliating microbeads pose a huge threat to waterways and you probably didn’t even know it.
We can all relate to guiltily performing little acts we know hurt the environment. No, I didn’t need to drive that short distance, but I didn’t really feel like walking. Yes, I could have recycled that bottle, but there were only trash cans in sight.
But sometimes, we don’t know we’re causing harm. Some pollutants are small enough to slip by.
What I’m specifically referring to are plastic pellets and the eight trillion that end up in U.S. rivers, oceans and lakes every day. Almost all of us have contributed by using shampoo, toothpaste and body wash.
You can probably think of at least one product you use or have used in the past that has tiny, sand-like ingredients in it. Think exfoliating gel, or clear, plastic shampoo bottles with discernible little dots.
I always assumed the little pellets dissolved in the water and that they were made with biodegradable ingredients. Nope. They’re plastic, and small enough to slip through drains and filtration systems, making their way into aquatic habits.
Worse, 800 trillion dumped into wastewater treatment plants form a sludge-like matter that oozes into waterways.
It’s no small wonder that 90 percent of seabirds have plastic ingested in their systems. If our habits don’t change, researchers predict that number could reach 99 percent by 2050, according to Discovery News.
Not only does a trash-filled ocean look like disgusting waste soup, but it also poses health problems for beachgoers and wildlife alike. It can damage boats and drive tourists away that provide vital economic traffic.
Even scarier, scientists are currently investigating the theory that microbeads can transfer to human digestive systems after we eat sea creatures that already ingested them.
Cleanup efforts to remove microbeads are extremely difficult, considering that each one is smaller than 1 mm — about the size of a pinhead, for comparison.
If you want to do your part but aren’t sure how, know that some companies are taking steps to remove plastic pellets from their products.
Unilever, Boots, Marks & Spencer and King of Shaves are all companies committed to removing microbeads from their products by the end of this year. Brands like Procter & Gamble, Estée Lauder and L’Oréal have also announced plans to phase out the material.
Meanwhile, legislation is being introduced to prevent usage and production in the U.S. The Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 has already been brought to Congress and plans to end circulation by 2018.
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Fortunately, Illinois has become the first state to ban microbeads, with similar bans happening in Connecticut, New Jersey and Colorado.
The bottom line of these kinds of issues is that while we may not know it, environmental damage can be going on in our very own homes that is easily preventable but carries irreparable consequences.
It’s important to stay informed on the issues, even if there isn’t an immediate solution. Change takes place slowly and over time, but it starts with widespread attention.
Kat Tenbarge is a freshman majoring in journalism and environmental studies. What environmental issues do you think demand attention? Email her at kt154714@ohio.edu or tweet her @katsappho.
