Your Toothpaste May Be Loaded With Tiny Plastic Beads That Never Go Away

[Playinghardball]

These microbeads, less than one millimeter wide, were found in face scrubs.

California is the latest state to consider banning products with microbeads, the tiny pieces of plastic, often less than a millimeter wide, that have become a popular addition to cosmetics and personal care products. Usually made of polyethylene, microbeads primarily serve as exfoliants in face washes and body scrubs, but also add color and texture to toothpastes, lip balms, moisturizing creams, and makeup. A single tube of face wash can contain more than 300,000 of the plastic beads, which are cheaper than other common natural exfoliants like apricot seeds, coconut husks, or diatomaceous earth. Here's a primer on which products contain microbeads and why consumers and politicians are concerned about them.



What's the environmental impact of microbeads?

Microbeads are so small that they aren't caught by most water treatment plants, so they wind up in lakes, streams, and oceans. According to a report by New York's attorney general, as many as 19 tons of microbeads could be discharged into the state's waterways each year. Assuming all Americans are dumping microbeads at that rate, 300 tons per year end up in US waterways.

The beads, which can resemble fish eggs, are mistaken for food and ingested by fish and other marine animals. The plastic also acts as a sponge for toxins, soaking up pesticides, phthalates, and heavy metals and carrying them through the food chain. Tuna and swordfish are turning up with microbeads in their stomachs.

What's the health impact of microbeads?

The movement to ban microbeads has really gathered steam because of concerns about their effects on human health. In March 2014, dental hygienist and blogger Trish Walraven sounded the alarm with a article about how she was finding "bits of blue plastic in my patients' mouths every single day." The plastic, she wrote, came from Crest toothpaste, and it was getting stuck in patients' gums. Now, dentists are concerned that the microbeads trap bacteria, possibly causing gingivitis. Procter and Gamble, which makes the toothpaste, insists that microbeads are safe, but has pledged to rid Crest products of plastic microbeads by next March.

There are other concerns about ingesting microbeads—both from products like toothpaste and from eating fish containing the plastic bits. The Environmental Working Group notes that the plastics that make up some microbeads are suspected to be hormone disruptors, so "eating them at your fish fry would not only lend an unpleasant texture to your beer-battered fish but could also add an unhealthy dose of estrogen-mimicking chemicals."

More here: http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/05/microbeads-exfoliators-plastic-face-scrub-toothpaste

[NightWatcher]

1. I'll kick Tom's ass back to Maine if he tries that shit

[foo_bar]

3. :/

http://m.nydailynews.com/news/national/tom-maine-fails-tooth-suit-article-1.2243128

[gopiscrap]

2. I thought it was just the

Dollar Store/Dollar Tree stuff made in China that had that problem.

[Tree-Hugger]

7. Not at all

Microbeads have been popular for many years in a lot of froo-froo facial cleaners. You find them at all price ranges now.

[cui bono]

4. Thanks for posting!

Never heard about that!

Yikes!!!

I use Tom's of Maine toothpaste, but I'm going to check into my other products.

[Tree-Hugger]

5. 300 tons

That is infuriating.

[UtahLib]

6. Thanks for the info. Bookmarking. nt

[hollysmom]

8. They have used these since I was in my teens, I had a friend who had a scrub with microbeads in it.

I am pretty sure, before that I think they used sand.

[MADem]

9. Nut shells, smashed up, is what they used to use. nt

[azurnoir]

16. It's ground apricot pits and they still make it along with a milder one that uses oatmeal

[MADem]

25. Booth body scrub uses walnut shells.

This was more common back in the day, before plastics. Certain earths/clays used to be commonly used as well. Another popular ingredient that is coming back in vogue is cloves in soap--they have quite a bite!

[azurnoir]

28. St Ives uses apricot pits and it's relatively cheap too

Cloves though I'll bet they have a bite, do they have any numbing properties, I've used oil if clove for tooth aches in the past

[MADem]

29. I have a niece who makes soap with cloves in it.

She always tosses me a bar because she knows that I like it. It scrubs really well. I've seen and used an expensive commercial version--less cloves, not as good! It's...invigorating,I'd say! Not numbing, though!

[azurnoir]

30. That sound really cool

soap with cloves interesting, I've thought about soap making haven't tried it yet though

[MADem]

31. She takes after my great great grandmother.

Lots of talent making stuff from raw ingredients.

[hollysmom]

17. I remember we put it under a microscope and it looked like plastic beads tome.

the advantage of being is school is a high powered microscope in our labs.

[azurnoir]

24. well I was speaking of St Ives which according to this uses apricot pits

it's listed as one of the safe scrubs

http://sailorsforthesea.org/blog/conservation/personal-grooming-scrubs-harmful-fish

now I'll admit St Ives has a couple of scrubs that I suspect do use the plastic beads, how do know because they tend to act like fine grain sand paper on your skin and are actually an irritant

[MADem]

26. Depends on what products you use.

Booth scrub is made with walnuts. Quality but not cheap!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. I think this idea started with Lava bar soap with pumice.

[tech3149]

11. One of the good things about being an old fart not out to impress anyone

I don't use any "product" to make me more visually appealing. If you don't like how I look? Too bad for you! As far as toothpaste? Really it's nothing more than baking soda with flavoring and foaming agents and mabey some bleaching agents or other things that have questionable if any benefits.
I'll stick with my mix of a touch of toothpaste lathered in baking soda and a good practice of effective brushing.

[Javaman]

12. nurdles. that's what the tiny plastic beads are called.

and they are quite latterly everywhere, sadly.

[pansypoo53219]

13. i stopped using anything w/ those beads when i found out. also spit toothpaste in garbage when i had

to finish the last tube. use a buff puff. always have.

[LiberalElite]

14. Thanks! nt

[olddots]

15. we live till we die

Old saying from the planet Zimdar .

[Hekate]

18. KnR. Humans are such clever little monkeys.....

[Omaha Steve]

19. K&R!

[polichick]

20. So much for a gov't that protects its citizens from such shit!

[Liberal_in_LA]

21. I knew they were in facial shrubs. didn't know about toothpaste

[yuiyoshida]

22. omg..some times I think

Humanity is just really stupid... this, use of plastic beads is beyond ignorant! Yee gods! Kore wa baka sugiru dayo!

[IcyPeas]

23. I wrote to Aveeno (Johnson & Johnson) last week. Here is their reply:

In short they are being phased out.

[email protected] May 25

Thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Microbeads are tiny balls used in exfoliating face and body washes. In personal care products they act to gently scrub away dead skin in much the same way a sponge would. Recently, concerns have been raised about the environmental impact of polyethylene microbeads and Our Safety & Care Commitment means we continually evolve our policies and products to reflect not only the latest science and new regulations, but also consumer views and concerns. Our goal is to give consumers peace of mind that our products are gentle on people and gentle on the environment.

At the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies, we are phasing out and will eliminate the use of polyethylene microbeads in our personal care products by the end of 2017. We have stopped developing new products containing polyethylene microbeads and have been conducting environmental safety assessments of other alternatives. These assessments are part of our “informed substitution” approach, which helps ensure that the alternatives we choose are safe and environmentally sound, and that they provide consumers with a great experience. Our goal is to complete the first phase of reformulations by the end of 2015, which represents about half our products sold that contain microbeads.

Additionally, we would like to forward your concerns to our Quality Team. So that we may provide the best information for them, please reply with the following information about the AVEENO® Positively Radiant™ Brightening Cleanser:

* Product UPC Bar Code number (square of parallel lines which gets scanned at register)
* Lot number, which is a series of numbers and letters stamped on the back or bottom of the product or embossed on the crimped end of the tube
* Place purchased
* Your phone number

Thank you for sharing your concerns. We look forward to your reply. If you would like to call and speak with one of our specialists, we are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., ET and will be happy to help you.

Sara H.
Consumer Care Center

[Warren DeMontague]

27. I noticed that one of these "ultimate" toothpastes I bought had triclosan in it- you know, the

questionable "antimicrobial" chemical that they put in hand soaps.

I'm thinking if it's bad for you on your hands, you probably don't want it in your mouth.

Always a good idea to check the ingredients.

[marions ghost]

32. These companies pretend

To care about health and the environment. They couldn't care less. And there are no effective controls.

[Wilms]

33. I sense the same of many consumers. n/t