March 25, 2014
New York state seeks to become the first in the nation to ban personal cosmetics containing plastic microbeads after the tiny plastic beads have been found accumulating at “alarmingly high levels” in New York waterways.
Microbeads are commonly used as an abrasive in over 100 products, including facial scrubs, soaps, shampoos and toothpastes. The Microbead-Free Waters Act, which was introduced on February 11, 2014, would prohibit the production, manufacture, distribution and sale in New York of any beauty or cleansing-products, containing intentionally added microbeads less than five millimeters in size.
If passed, the ban would take effect December 31, 2015.