25 signatures reached
To: Government, companies, consumers
Microplastics in cosmetics.
A few years ago there was talk about banning microplastics in cosmetics such as shampoos and body wash, however, companies still use styrenes and polymers in their products, putting ecosystems at risk and contaminating the environment. These particles have been found at the poles and in high mountain ranges, so why have these companies been able to proceed with making these products that wash down the drains? To avoid using cosmetics with microplastics the ingredients have to be checked; an alarming proportion label "acrylates cross/co-polymer" and "styrenes" as present. This really needs to be tackled, with enforced legislation where no, NO products will be accepted onto the market unless they are plastic-free in ingredients (the packaging is another issue). As a result, people can buy these items with the knowledge that all ingredients are biodegradable and do not have long-lasting affects to the environment and its inhabitants.
Why is this important?
Microplastics is a massive global issue with unforseen physiological effects a range of species, if not all; this may lead to ecosystem collapse. There is also evidence of cancer formation linked to microplastic. The world's governments should crack down on this, forcing corporations to produce cosmetics that are not harmful to the environment. Many people are choosing specific brands to be more eco-aware, but there is an element of greenwashing involved, leading to use of "eco" products that bluntly aren't. For example, 70% of my Christmas gifts that happened to be cosmetics contained acrylate copolymer, despite packaging and statements that suggested otherwise. Colgate used to include "microbead technology" in some products, yet they were taken off the market after microbeads became public knowledge- this shows that companies can act to reduce impact in response to public demand and scientific data, so this needs to happen on a global scale in order to prevent further pollution, that is unnecessary and damaging.
