Remember when you were younger, and you used to play with those little colorful beads? Maybe you’d squish them between your fingers and pop them, but never really could. What about now when you cleanse your face? Those little beads work to get dirt and oil out of your pores. Yes, they are still around, and, unfortunately, they might stay around…forever. These seemingly insignificant beads contain polyethylene, which is not only bad for your pores, but has also been proven to pose a big threat to our environment and wildlife.
Because they are nearly impossible to dissolve or filter, plastic microbeads from our cleansers and washes are left behind in streams and rivers every year by the billions, damaging our water sources and wildlife. President Obama recently passed a bill that bans soaps, toothpastes, and body washes that contain these microbeads; according to the bill, these products must be phased out by July 1, 2017. We can do our part by not buying products that contain these harmful microbeads.
Check out this list of products that may contain microbeads and chuck them (responsibly) from your bathroom now.
