Plastic microbeads are a common ingredient used in over 100 different personal care products on the market today. Manufacturers use tiny plastic microbeads as an abrasive in a wide variety of products, including facial scrubs, soaps, shampoos, and even toothpastes. Plastic microbeads are harmful and unnecessary, and legislation is needed to ban them in New York.

Plastic microbeads pollute New York’s waterways: Products containing microbeads are designed to be washed down the drain. It is estimated that 19 tons of microbeads enter the wastewater stream in NY annually! Microbeads can enter into streams, rivers, lakes and the ocean through sewage overflows or by passing through sewage treatment plants, which are not designed to remove such tiny particles.

Plastic microbeads threaten wildlife and public health: Once in the water, microbeads can attract and adsorb toxic chemicals. The microbeads are mistaken as food by small fish and aquatic life, and the chemicals are then passed up the food chain to larger fish, wildlife, and ultimately humans.

Plastic microbeads are completely unnecessary: Safer, natural, non-polluting alternatives are on the market—some companies already use natural alternatives such as apricot shells and cocoa beans, instead of plastic microbeads.

“Biodegradable plastics” are not a viable alternative: So called “biodegradable plastics” tend not to actually biodegrade into benign substances, but instead break down into smaller pieces that exacerbate the plastic pollution problem in our waters. It is particularly difficult for a plastic to biodegrade in an aquatic environment, because the process requires high heat and light.

The Microbead-Free Waters Act (S. 3932/A. 5896) will solve the problem in New York! The Microbead-Free Waters Act is bipartisan legislation that will ban all plastic microbeads in personal care products in New York. The legislation will phase-out the use of plastic microbeads in a timely manner, and will ensure that manufacturers do not switch to other non-biodegradable abrasives as a replacement, thereby continuing the cycle of damage to our environment.

We need your help to ensure that this commonsense legislation is passed this legislative session, and our treasured waters are protected from harmful plastic pollution.