Polluting beads: MPs in call for a total ban
BEAUTY giants should be banned from using plastic microbeads in scrubs, gels and toothpastes, say MPs.
As many as 100,000 beads are washed into the sea following a single shower and the UK total per day is estimated at 86 tons.
The call for a ban comes three months after the Mail highlighted the dangers the tiny beads pose to marine life and even human health.
Research suggests a single plate of shellfish, such as oysters, could contain as many as 50 plastic particles.
The beads are typically used in face and body scrubs to remove dead skin. They have also been used in toothpastes and some bath products.
However, the plastic beads are so small that they are not filtered out by water treatment centres, which means they escape into rivers and seas.
The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) said firms are taking steps to remove the beads, but the industry’s proposed deadline is not until 2020.
Most microbeads are made from polyethylene, which is the same material used to make plastic bags. Once in the environment, they effectively become a magnet for toxins, such as pesticides.
It is thought the beads are eaten by fish and then reach supermarkets and end up on the nation’s dinner plates.
In a report published today, MPs on the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee are demanding an immediate legal ban.
Its chairman, Mary Creagh, said: ‘Trillions of tiny pieces of plastic are accumulating in the world’s oceans, lakes and estuaries, harming marine life and entering the food chain.
‘A single shower can result in 100,000 plastic particles entering the ocean.
‘Cosmetic companies’ voluntary approach to phasing out plastic microbeads simply won’t wash. We need a full legal ban, preferably at an international level.
‘The best way to reduce this pollution is to prevent plastic being flushed into the sea in the first place.’
Miss Creagh added: ‘More research is needed on the impact of micro-plastic consumption on human health.’
The CTPA director general, Dr Christopher Flower, said: ‘A recommendation was issued in 2015 that such ingredients ought to be discontinued from use in products. Although the date for final removal was stated at 2020, the majority of use would be discontinued long before then.’
A Defra spokesman said it ‘will take a detailed look at the recommendations contained in this timely report’.