plastic

21 January 2016

Environmental Issues Ban Microbeads in Cosmetic Products
Back in 2013 I wrote a brief article about microbeads in scrubs. If you are unaware Microbeads are the little balls of plastic in an exfoliator that help you scrub away the dead skin cells. The problem is they are not biodegradable and find their way into our oceans which in turn threatens the marine wildlife. Fish are eating the microbeads and then you eat the fish! Why do companies use plastic? I'm guessing the simple answer is money, I am sure plastic is cheaper than natural alternatives. I really wish manufacturers (and consumers) would see past this and pay a little more to help protect the world around us.

The reason I decided to re-visited this topic is because the US has taken steps to ban plastic microbeads. President Obama signed into law the The Microbead-Free Waters Act on 28 December 2015 but now we need the UK/EU to follow their example. At present the UK Government is relying on a voluntary phase out by the European cosmetics industry but is that good enough? If consumers are unaware of the problem and products continue to be purchased that isn't much incentive for manufacturers to make the change. The site www.beatthemicrobead.org have set up a petition which you can sign. It needs to reach 100,000 signatures to be considered for debate in Parliament. There is also an app to download enabling you to check products when out shopping. 

If you are looking for a facial scrub without microbeads and need a natural/organic recommendation, let me suggest Antipodes Reincarnation Facial Exfoliator, Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Pearl ExfoliatorPai Kukui & Jojoba Bead Skin Brightening Exfoliator, Trilogy Gentle Facial Exfoliant.

Sarah x

16 January 2013


For me, having an interest in natural products brings with it more awareness for the environment. I am certainly no hippy tree hugger but I like to make an effort where I can. I wanted to bring to your attention an environmental issue which goes hand in hand with why natural products are better for you.

I read online that microbeads in exfoliating products are found in our oceans and are threatening the marine wildlife. Microbeads are those little balls of plastic in an exfoliator that help you scrub away the dead skin cells. Problem is they are not biodegradable. It will be no surprise to hear that companies use them because they are cheaper than natural alternatives like oatmeal, apricot and walnut husks.

This week Unilever, who owns brands Dove, St. Ives, and Alberto VO5 announced it will phase out polyethylene scrubbing beads by 2015. 

In the meantime, next time you choose a body or face scrub check the ingredients. Think about it's impact on the environment as it washes down the drain. Even if you choose not to avoid parabens and SLS, make sure the scrubbing grains are from a natural plant source. 

Sarah x

10 June 2011

We are constantly being reminded to take our re-useable bags to the supermarket (grocery store) but no one ever mentions about those ‘evil’ plastic bags they provide for your fruit and vegetables. Thankfully there are some eco-friendly alternatives just look out for tulle, mesh, cotton bags which can be found online. I have Onya Weigh Bags but they are no longer available.

Plastic bag facts

  • 500 billion plastic carrier bags are used worldwide each year. 
  • 10 billion plastic bags were given out in 2008 in the UK.
  • Enough to fill nearly 200 Olympic sized swimming pools.
  • This roughly equates to 400 per household. (DEFRA) 
  • Thousands of marine animals and more than 1 million birds die each year as a result of plastic pollution. 
  • Plastic bags not only litter our beautiful landscape, in flood conditions they block drains and pipes contributing to critical conditions. 
  • Even when plastic bags break down in landfill, they never completely go away. The remaining dangerous and toxic particles can still end up in the food chain, putting human and animal life at risk. 
  • A huge amount of harmful emissions are emitted during manufacture, shipment and recycling of plastic bags (for those that can be recycled, and many simply can’t). 
  • Even paper bags that come from a renewable source and are biodegradable require more energy than plastic bags to manufacture and transport.

Did you know that paper cups from coffee shops like Starbucks or Costa are not recyclable? The issue is the difficulty in separating their plastic coating and cardboard to recycle the card. As many as 2.5 billion paper coffee cups are thrown away in the UK each year. I think it's now time for people to start investing in reusable cups. Another huge impact on the environment is drinking straws, they are one of the most common forms of rubbish found on beaches. The good news is if you're unable to survive without a straw in your cocktail then glass and steel reusable options are available. Good news is there are even options to replace plastic cutlery with bamboo ones and sandwich bags for reusable food wraps.

I hope this has given you something to think about as plastic is a big problem for our oceans. Reusable items are the way forward so maybe I have inspired you to change your ways?

Sarah x 

Items pictured above are available from Content Beauty and Naturisimo. On a side note my title was inspired by a Tim Minchin song.

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