The ‘Beat the Microbead’ app goes International
The international version of the ‘Beat the Microbead’ App has been launched, which previously had only been available to Dutch consumers.
The App works by scanning the barcode of products and telling the shopper whether or not the product contains plastic microbeads. Products are divided into the categories Red, Orange and Green. Red: the product contains microbeads; Orange: the product contains microbeads but the manufacturer has pledged to stop using microbeads in the near future; Green, the product does not contain microbeads.
Many personal care products like scrubs and peels now contain plastic particles. So, every time we exfoliate or peel off those dead cells, we may be doing our bodies some good, but we’re giving our seas anything but a make-over. As the products are rinsed off, they go down the drain and that means we are flushing plastic into our seas where it contributes to the ‘plastic soup’ problem.
The ‘Beat the Microbead’ campaign is asking the manufacturers of these care products to replace all plastic particles with environmentally friendly alternatives, such as anise seeds, sand, salt or coconut. These are materials that were used before plastic particles.
Until they take notice, campaigners say it is important that we do not use care products with plastics. You too can help to end the plastic soup in the ocean by checking the list of ingredients on the label. Plastics can appear as: Polyethylene / Polythene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or Polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
Dr Sue Kinsey, the Marine Conservation Society’s Litter Policy Officer, says: “It’s incredible how many everyday products contain micro plastic beads. These find their way through our sewers and into our seas where they are easily eaten by all sorts of marine animals. Help us stop the practice of putting these microplastics in products by signing the petition and checking out products at home. This App and website is a great resource for those who want to have plastic free products. The micro plastics in these products are so small that our sewage works cannot deal with them, so if used they are essentially washed straight out to sea”.
Download the App at www.beatthemicrobead.org.
Source: www.mcsuk.org
