Ban on Microbeads

January 26, 2016

IMAGE: TARGET, WALGREENS, WALGREENS

Photo courtesy of 5 Gyres

Photo courtesy of 5 Gyres

This infographic by 5 Gyres Institute says that just one tube of facewash contains 330,000 microbeads and some 1,147 personal care products contain microbeads. 

If we think it just disappears when it goes down the drain, we are gravely mistaken.

This cartoon by Steve Greenberg best depicts the life cycle of the microbeads. 

cartoon by Steve Greenberg

Marine life ingest these tiny bits of plastic mistaking it for food and well that becomes food for larger animals such as us. And this isn't an isolated incident.  If you are curious about plastic and it's affects on the ocean and marine life just do a quick search for "plastic in fish," or check out 5 Gyres its an excellent resource to learn more about what the state of our oceans are and how we can take action. http://www.5gyres.org/  

This bill will hopefully help keep our oceans a bit cleaner and save several hundreds of species, but it doesn't take effect immediately.  Many of these products are still on the shelves and selling in stores near you.

There are many wonderful ways to get an exfoliating clean without the plastic. Salt scrubs have been used for centuries and there are many other foods that provide a safe, organic and fully exfoliating clean that are 100% naturally biodegradable. 

Simple Face Scrub Recipe (for normal-to-dry skin):

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp almond meal

1/8 tsp raw sugar

For sensitive or acne skin a gentler and less abrasive scrub on the skin is best. Gentle

Scrub Recipe (sensitive / acne skin):

1/4 tsp flax meal

1/8 tsp almond meal

1/8 tsp brewer's yeast

Of course if you if want the ready-made goodness of all these wonderful ingredients try our Gentle Daily Face Scrub.  It contains only food grade ingredients, many of the ingredients listed in the above recipes, which make it actually edible and 100% safe to go down the drain.

 

http://www.tierramiaorganics.com/collections/face/products/gentle-daily-face-scrub

 References: 

http://www.thefashionspot.com/buzz-news/latest-news/417009-microbeads-are-hurting-the-environment/

http://time.com/74956/states-are-cracking-down-on-face-wash/

http://www.slashgear.com/us-to-ban-all-soap-with-microbeads-11418115/

http://www.5gyres.org/

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