Almost 9 in 10 Products from Major Cosmetics brands contain microplastics

A new report from the Plastic Soup Foundation has found that nearly 90% of products from major cosmetics brands contain microplastics. The report, entitled "Plastic: The Hidden Beauty Ingredient," reviewed over 7,700 cosmetic and personal care products from the ten most popular brands of the four largest cosmetics manufacturers in Europe.

The study found that all types of synthetic polymers, including nanoplastics and biodegradable plastics, were present in the products, whether added in solid, liquid, semi-liquid, or water-soluble form.

Prominent scientists, including Emeritus Professor of Ecotoxicology/Water Quality and Health at the VU Amsterdam Dick Vethaak and Professor of Environmental Chemistry at NTNU in Trondheim Hans Peter Arp, have endorsed the report's findings and call for synthetic polymers to be examined for their harmfulness before entering the European market.

The report also found that the new EU restriction on the deliberate addition of microplastics to products will only apply to less than 4% of synthetic polymers used in cosmetics.

The industry's lack of transparency about plastic use in personal care products has led to consumer reliance on the Plastic Soup Foundation's Beat the Microbead app to scan products for microplastics. Only 13% of the products surveyed were found to be plastic-free. L’Oreal, Beiersdorf, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever have indicated that they want to address plastic pollution, but they currently only focus on microplastics in solid form.

The report from the "Plastic Soup Foundation" on microplastics in personal care products can be found here. Source