5 Gyres Institute Archives

5 Gyres Institute

Tide Turning Against Plastic Microbeads in Toiletries

Sarah "Steve" Mosko 5 Gyres Institute, Colgate-Palmolive, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oréal, microbeads, North Pacific Gyre, ocenans, plastic, Proctor & Gamble, Unilever

There are signs that the era where plastic microbeads from personal care products pollute bodies of water worldwide and aquatic food chains might be drawing to a close. Microbeads are miniscule spheres of plastic commonly added as abrasives to personal care products like face scrubs, shower gels and toothpaste. They’re designed to wash down the […]

EarthTalk

Microbeads & Marine Pollution in the Great Lakes & Beyond

Lindsey Blomberg 5 Gyres Institute, Great Lakes, microbeads, ocean pollution, plastic

Plastic microbeads are a concern because sewage treatment facilities are not designed to capture them, and during rainy days sewage can overflow into waterways. Once they enter waterways, microbeads move into fish, which confuse them for food, then into those who eat the fish, including wildlife and humans.