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Microplastics in personal care products: Exploring perceptions of environmentalists, beauticians and students

Marine Pollution Bulletin 2016 223 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 45 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Alison Anderson, Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Kayleigh J. Wyles, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Jane Grose, Jane Grose, Kayleigh J. Wyles, Kayleigh J. Wyles, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Kayleigh J. Wyles, Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Kayleigh J. Wyles, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Kayleigh J. Wyles, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Kayleigh J. Wyles, Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Kayleigh J. Wyles, Richard C. Thompson Kayleigh J. Wyles, Richard C. Thompson Sabine Pahl, Sabine Pahl, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson

Summary

This study surveyed consumer and expert perceptions of microplastics in personal care products, finding that awareness was low among the general public but that both groups generally supported regulation. The research highlights the importance of consumer education and policy in reducing primary microplastic inputs from cosmetic products.

Microplastics enter the environment as a result of larger plastic items breaking down ('secondary') and from particles originally manufactured at that size ('primary'). Personal care products are an important contributor of secondary microplastics (typically referred to as 'microbeads'), for example in toothpaste, facial scrubs and soaps. Consumers play an important role in influencing the demand for these products and therefore any associated environmental consequences. Hence we need to understand public perceptions in order to help reduce emissions of microplastics. This study explored awareness of plastic microbeads in personal care products in three groups: environmental activists, trainee beauticians and university students in South West England. Focus groups were run, where participants were shown the quantity of microbeads found in individual high-street personal care products. Qualitative analysis showed that while the environmentalists were originally aware of the issue, it lacked visibility and immediacy for the beauticians and students. Yet when shown the amount of plastic in a range of familiar everyday personal care products, all participants expressed considerable surprise and concern at the quantities and potential impact. Regardless of any perceived level of harm in the environment, the consensus was that their use was unnatural and unnecessary. This research could inform future communications with the public and industry as well as policy initiatives to phase out the use of microbeads.

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