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Push to ban plastic microbeads from facial scrubs gains momentum

cbc.ca

1–10 of 48 posts

Re: Push to ban plastic microbeads from facial scrubs gains momentum

#2
>A number of personal care product manufacturers have promised to cut microbeads from their products in the coming years, but dates vary. Unilever is aiming for 2015, Colgate-Palmolive in 2014, Procter & Gamble vowed to be free by 2017, while Johnson & Johnson and L'Oréal haven't given a date.

Do we need a law for this? So far, all action has been spurred by consumer and environmental groups. Sure, it may not happen at the same pace as if CA bans it and puts another law on their books, but if it happens soon, shouldn't we avoid lawmaking?

Re: Push to ban plastic microbeads from facial scrubs gains momentum

#3

>A number of personal care product manufacturers have promised to cut microbeads from their products in the coming years, but dates vary. Unilever is aiming for 2015, Colgate-Palmolive in 2014, Procter & Gamble vowed to be free by 2017, while Johnson & Johnson and L'Oréal haven't given a date. Do we need a law for this? So far, all action has been spurred by consumer and environmental groups. Sure, it may not happen…

Something this ridiculously damaging needs to be banned outright. If I were a corporation making products of this sort I'd rather tell my shareholders "Sorry, environmental regulations prevent us from making that product" rather than "We decided to abandon a profitable product line because scientists told us to."

This is the same principle behind architecture review boards for cities. If the architect has peers to support their efforts, they're more likely to succeed than to be forced to cave into purely economic concerns.

There are some things corporations are very good at, but protecting the long-term interests of people is not one of them.

Re: Push to ban plastic microbeads from facial scrubs gains momentum

#5

I'm confused. Nobody talks about any measurable harm these beads are doing. The ocean is full of sand already. What's the impetus?

"Often buoyant, the beads can soak up toxins like a sponge. And since they resemble the size of fish eggs, environmentalists fear the micro-plastics are making their way into the food chain via fish, birds and mammals."

Edit: unlike sand.

Re: Push to ban plastic microbeads from facial scrubs gains momentum

#6

I'm confused. Nobody talks about any measurable harm these beads are doing. The ocean is full of sand already. What's the impetus?

Er, lots of people talk about the measurable harm. Start here and google a bit for even more :

http://beatthemicrobead.org/en/science

Re: Push to ban plastic microbeads from facial scrubs gains momentum

#10
post #9

It seems to me like it would be better in the long run to invest money in developing better water treatment plants rather than getting on the ban-wagon. It seems logical that we could skim these out as they are as the article attests "boyant".

Extending that, could you somehow mine the sea (and great lakes) for the existing beads, and recycle them?
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