This October, the governor approved the California law preventing the sale of consumer care products that contain plastic microbeads beginning in 2020. The ban on the microscopic beads is intended to protect the nation’s waterways, as well as fish and wildlife, which are being harmed by ingesting the beads. The non-biodegradable beads have been found in bulk piles in various waterways, including the Los Angeles River, Pacific Ocean and the Great Lakes. It is estimated that microbeads result in 38 tons of plastic pollution in California annually.
The plastic microbeads are most often used in soaps, body cleansers, exfoliating products and toothpaste. The miniscule size of the beads prevents them from being captured by water filtration devices and eventually disintegrating. As a result, the beads have been found in the bodies of various marine life organisms. In addition, the beads can be a magnet for toxins which are absorbed by the plastic and ingested by wildlife.
The relevant bill, AB 888, ensures that similarly harmful substitutes cannot be used in place of plastic microbeads. Several companies have already begun to utilize natural substitutes for microbeads, such as ground fruit pits and nut shells. Ultimately, the bill aims to encourage the production of consumer products with environmentally conscious ingredients to prevent further environmental destruction.
The elimination of harmful microbeads was previously considered and proposed by the Legislature, but criticism from personal care product companies thwarted its approval. However, amendments to the bill softened opposition and paved the way for the legislation’s passage. California joins Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland and New Jersey in enacting anti-micro bead legislation. The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee has since unanimously approved a bipartisan federal bill which would start to phaseout microbeads in products beginning July 2017, if Congress passes the Microbead Free Waters Act of 2015.
Contact Shane Coons at 949-333-0900 or visit his website at www.ShaneCoonsLaw.com.