Silica is the Most Eco-Friendly Substitute for Plastic Microbeads Used in Cosmetics
Written by AZoMDec 15 2020
A new study quantifies the environmental costs of alternative materials following bans on plastic microbeads used in wash-off cosmetics.
Silica, applied here as mud in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, was the most environmentally friendly alternative. Image Credit: Imperial College London.
Microbeads are added to cosmetic and personal care products such as toothpaste, industrial hand cleaners and body scrubs often to enhance qualities like abrasiveness.
Microbeads are small, artificial plastic pellets, often with a diameter of less than 0.5 mm (or 500 μm). In several products, they are designed to be washed off, thus passing through wastewater treatment plants and ending up in marine ecosystems. They can accumulate underwater, eventually being ingested by marine organisms, causing harm to them.