EWG Skindeep’s European counterpart, Codecheck now highlights products affected by microplastics to help conscious consumers avoid ruining our oceans.
A huge issue in the marine environment, micro beads made from non-biodegradable plastics are not even a new problem.
They are a problem caused by our industrialised world.
Why?
Three main sources for this contaminant found in the environment are:
1. Microplastics produced as such, for example for cosmetic products and industrial abrasives;
2. Broken down larger plastic particles from marine debris – google “Pacific trash vortex” – you’re welcome;
3. Synthethic fibre shed when washing synthetic clothes in a washer – yup, that polyester shirt might be vegan-friendly but ocean-friendly? Not so much.
You might want to check out WWF’s short write-up on marine problems to see the big picture of man-made marine pollution.
Now what?
For starters, avoiding all cosmetic products that contain plastic beads is a brilliant idea. Codecheck has updated their info on this ingredient in their online database and in their Android and iOS apps, just like they did with palm oil and derived ingredients. This now certainly helps sort the wheat from the chaff:
If the product contains microbeads, it is marked red in the ingredients list and also highlighted as “enviromentally relevant”. As I checked today, EWG Skindeep was still listing ‘polyethylene’ as roundabout safe.
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[…] So why not a conventional product? 1. Even the “sensitive”-branded products can contain the cheapest ingredients, the worst allergy offenders, irritants, and thus cause more suffering than comfort. 2. To make matters worse, German independent testers from Ökotest have found formaldehyde donors and halocarbon compounds/heavy metals from bleach in several of 15 tested products. How gross is that? 3. In addition, if you couldn’t care less for an occasional irritating damp wipe the tissues used can contribute to the microplastic problem. […]
Yep, also loving point #3 and thinking about protecting our oceans. As I saw in a recent documentary, Earth should really be called “Water”!
Yes indeed. Actually humans should be called water on legs, too!
I am horrified by point number 3. Scary thought. I don’t have a lot of synthetic fibre in my house but I do have some, and it does get washed!
Everything has a consequence, right?
This thought, as philosophic and not from the real world as it may sound, is true, profoundly disturbing – but also powerful if we think properly.
Yes!