What are microbeads? Which products have microbeads in them?

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Do your beauty products contain microbeads? What are they?

ENVIRONMENTALISTS are calling for a ban on the use of microbeads in everyday bathroom products such as toothpaste and face washes. But what are microbeads?

The Environmental Audit Committee, made up of MPs, has also called on the Government to ban the use of the plastics in products by the end of 2017.

Its chairman Mary Creagh said: "Trillions of tiny pieces of plastic are accumulating in the world's oceans, lakes and estuaries, harming marine life and entering the food chain.

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"The microbeads in scrubs, shower gels and toothpastes are an avoidable part of this plastic pollution problem. A single shower can result in 100,000 plastic particles entering the ocean.”

As the campaign to ban microbeads continues, here is what you need to know about them. 

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Microbeads are found in beauty products such as face washes

What are microbeads? 

Microbeads are minuscule pieces of plastic that are found in face washes, toothpaste, body scrubs, abrasive cleaners and other everyday beauty products. 

After you wash your face or clean your teeth, the microbeads go down the plughole and pass through water filtration systems because they are so tiny. 

These microbeads then end up in the sea where they are ingested by fish and harm marine life. Plastic particles have been found in fish, shellfish and even the stomachs of birds. 

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Greenpeace says: “Microbeads end up in humans through toothpaste and through eating seafood that has ingested microplastics and the toxins that come with them.” 

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Which products have microbeads in them? 

The best way to avoid using mircobeads is to check your face wash, toothpaste and other cleaning products. 

Beauty products that contain microbeads are usually easy to spot because the plastic spheres can be seen in the liquid. 

If you are not sure, check the label and rub a small amount of the gel between your fingers to check the texture. 

Greenpeace

Here is a diagram of what happens to microbeads

Solid plastic microbeads are made from polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and nylon. 

Watch out for these ingredients when choosing a new product.

You can also find a full list of the companies that have pledged not to use microbeads on the Beat the Microbead campaign website.

If you still want to exfoliate your skin, you could use products with natural exfoliants such as sea salt, apricot kernels and seeds. 

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