alternative to plastic microbeads tagged posts

Biodegradable Microbeads made from Cellulose

1. Microbeads are found in cosmetics and personal care products such as toothpaste, sunscreen, hair gel and shower gel. 2. Microscope picture of cellulose microbeads

1. Microbeads are found in cosmetics and personal care products such as toothpaste, sunscreen, hair gel and shower gel.
2. Microscope picture of cellulose microbeads

On World Ocean Day, researchers announced they developed biodegradable cellulose microbeads from a sustainable source that could potentially replace harmful plastic ones that contribute to ocean pollution. Microbeads are little spheres of plastic less than 0.5 mm in size that are added to personal care and cleaning products including cosmetics, sunscreens and fillers to give them a smooth texture. However they are too small to be removed by sewage filtration systems and so end up in rivers and oceans and ingested by birds, fish and marine life.

It is estimated that a single shower can result in 100,000 plastic particles enterin...

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