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National Marine Microbead Policy in Developed Nations: How Microbead Bans Have Influenced Microplastic Pollution in Waterways and Begun the Trend Towards International Collaboration
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This review examines how national microbead bans in developed countries have begun to reduce a significant source of microplastic pollution from cosmetic products. It argues that while domestic bans are important, international coordination is needed to address the transboundary nature of microplastic contamination in waterways.
Microplastics are a contaminant of emerging concern that have penetrated aquifers, surface waters, and even deep ocean trenches.Defined as particles less than 5mm in size, microplastics are pervasive and difficult to filter from water systems with current infrastructure.A common source of microplastics is cosmetic products containing microbeads, tiny balls of plastic between 1.5-3.5mm in size.As a byproduct of human consumption, microplastics come in varying forms.Microfibers, the most common marine microplastic pollutant, result from household laundry and commercial clothing production.Microbeads from cosmetics products are the second most common source of consumer microplastic pollution in waterways.Microbeads pass through municipal water filtration systems and are released into waterways, including rivers, lakes, and oceans at rates as high as eight billion beads per day.Several developed nations, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, New Zealand, and South Korea took action between 2015 and 2017 to mitigate microbead pollution in response to growing research and citizen concern.Each of these national laws prohibits microbeads in cosmetic products such as face-wash and exfoliant.Microbead-free acts have varying restrictions, timelines, and loopholes, resulting in inconsistencies on the global market.This study assesses and compares each of these national microbead bans, including the United States Microbead Free Waters Act of 2015 (MFWA), and their relative effectiveness.By individually assessing each of these policies, we can better understand our options for a global approach to the elimination of microbeads.1 War II, when plastic production quadrupled in the United States.After the war, plastic transitioned to everyday use on the consumer market.1950-2000 was a period for exponential growth of plastic production as a result of its affordability and convenience.As use of plastic
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