September 23, 2014
California state bill AB 1699 banning microbeads – tiny bits of plastic used in a wide range of personal care products, including facial scrubs and toothpaste – has failed to go through the state Senate, falling one vote short of majority.
In June, Illinois signed legislation banning the manufacture and sale of personal care products containing synthetic plastic microbeads.
Environmentalists have said the non-biodegradable plastic particles used as exfoliants in many facial cleansers and soaps slip through sewage system filters and pile up in waterways, where they absorb toxins and harm wildlife.