Only 13% of Cosmetics out of 7,704 are plastic FREE

The Plastic Soup Foundation has released a report named “Plastic: The Hidden Beauty Ingredient”, which reveals that 87% of the products from the ten best-selling cosmetics brands contain microplastics.

Scientists and the Plastic Soup Foundation have called for the synthetic polymers to be examined for their harmfulness and regulated before entering the European market.

The report also highlights the potential impact of microplastics on human health and the environment.

Only 13% of the 7,704 products from the ten most popular brands were found to be free of microplastics.

The report is based on the first-ever large-scale study of the presence of microplastics in cosmetic and personal care products.

Scientists are concerned about the lack of information on the degradability and toxicity of synthetic polymers and believe they should comply with REACH regulations before entering the European market.

The four largest cosmetics manufacturers (L’Oreal, Beiersdorf, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever) have indicated that they want to do more against plastic pollution, but they only focus on microplastics in solid form.

Every minute, over seven kilos of microplastics from cosmetics and personal care products end up in the European environment.

Pollution with microplastics is irreversible and the EU is taking steps to reduce the dangers it poses to the environment. The four largest cosmetics manufacturers were approached for insight into their current and future plastic policies. Only two of the ten brands studied, Nivea and Elvive/Elseve, mention “microplastics” in their public sustainability plans.

In conclusion, the new report highlights the widespread use of microplastics in cosmetics and personal care products and the potential impact on human health and the environment. Scientists and the Plastic Soup Foundation have called for the synthetic polymers to be examined and regulated before entering the European market.