Originally published on December 17, 2013
A joint study conducted by 5 Gyres Institute and the State University of New York at Fredonia has found large amounts of microplastic beads contaminating the waters of the Great Lakes.
Surface samples were taken from 21 locations and analysed for microplastics of various shapes, sizes and colors found in commercial personal products.
Water treatment plants are designed to filter out solids from wastewater but are not equipped to clear microbeads from the water. Once released with treated water into waterways, microbeads absorb pesticides and other organic pollutants dissolved in water.
Plastic microbeads found in products such as exfoliating scrubs and toothpaste are typically less than 1 mm in size. Fish and other aquatic organisms consume the microbeads along with planktons in the water. Findings from studies conducted on lugworms in the Atlantic suggest that the microbeads transfer toxins to the creatures.
Americans purchase products containing an estimated 260,000 kg of microbeads each year. One tube of Neutrogena's Deep Clean exfoliator, for example, contains approximately 360,000 microbeads.
In the past, salts and nut shells were used in exfoliator products, but many companies have shifted to using plastic. Dutch NGOs have released an app called Beat the Micro Bead to scan product barcodes for microbead content.
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