Plastic Soup Foundation
  • The issue
      • Plastic Soup
      • What is plastic?
      • Plastic in the environment
      • Harm to animals
      • Health effects
      • Regulations
      • Bogus solutions
      • Responsibilities
      • Sustainable development
      • Facts & Figures
  • What we do
      • Health
      • Microplastics
      • Education
      • Plastic Waste
  • How you can help
      • Consumer
      • Business
      • Community
      • Kids
      • At school
  • Solutions
  • News
  • Donate
  • NL
  • EN
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
You are here: News Liquid microplastics in cosmetics are the new battleground

Liquid microplastics in cosmetics are the new battleground

03 March 2020

According to CodeCheck, so-called liquid microplastics in cosmetics pose the same threat to the environment as the solid ones also known as microbeads. Legislative measures to prevent the use of poorly biodegradable microplastics are desperately needed. However, the cosmetics industry argues that liquid microplastics are not harmful at all. A new battleground reveals itself. 

While the solid microplastics might be banned, it is still unclear whether this also applies to the liquid microplastics. The cosmetics industry uses these ‘poorly biodegradable polymers’ in a whole range of products. According to the industry, these synthetic polymers should not be considered as a microplastic and therefore should not be banned.  

From CodeCheck’s research, which is based on a database containing millions of products, it becomes clear that almost one third of all cosmetic products contain poorly biodegradable polymers. These are also known as liquid microplastics. The researchers found 159 different poorly biodegradable synthetic polymers in more than 50,000 products, spread across 34 product categories, including face masks, skin care products, shampoos and shower gels. 

Acrylic (co)polymers 

CodeCheck’s report reveals the top 3 poorly degradable liquid polymers consists of carbomer (in 24% of the products), Cyclopentasiloxane (in 19% of the products) and acrylic (co)polymers (in 16% of all products surveyed). Despite the fact that acrylate (co)polymers dissolve in water, they are considered poorly biodegradable in the environment. 

Lubrizol is one of the largest suppliers of acrylate (co)polymers. This company is active in more than hundred countries and claims that one out of two consumers worldwide uses at least one product with their technology. Acrylic (co)polymers from this company are applied as ‘modifiers, thickeners, binders, stabilizers’ in ‘gels, creams, lotions, body washes & shampoos.’ In a statement, published in July 2018, Lubrizol argues that acrylate polymers are not a threat to the environment and their application does not need to be avoided as a precaution. Lubrizol claimed that their own research had shown this. A video on their website also reassures consumers.  

It is remarkable that Lubrizol’s internal research, which is not made available publicly online, comes to this conclusion. After all, there are no accepted standards that indicate when plastics have actually broken down in the marine environment.  

European ban on liquid microplastics? 

The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) has proposed to ban this year the intentionally added microplastics to cosmetics, detergents, paints, agricultural and industrial products. However, it is not clear whether this proposal will also cover liquid plastics.  

A new battleground has clearly arisen on this issue. If liquid synthetic polymers are not banned, their mass application will continue and would most probably be increased. While the damage to the environment would still not be clear. Numerous companies show that there are sufficient environmentally friendly alternatives available.  

Standpoint of Plastic Soup Foundation 

According to Plastic Soup Foundation, the so-called liquid microplastics in cosmetics should be treated in the same way as solid microplastics. Information concerning persistency, bioaccumulation and toxicity must be publicly available in all cases and any substance of concern should be banned.  

‘Without information about biodegradability and toxicity of all synthetic polymers these substances shouldn’t be allowed to use.’ says Madhuri Prabhakar, campaigner Beat the Microbead at Plastic Soup Foundation.  

You might also like

  • European ban on microplastics must be stricter 
  • Microplastics found in 119 detergent brands 
  • British cosmetics industry: plastic liquids are not hazardous 

Search

Categories

  • News (531)
  • What can you do? (13)
  • Health Files (38)
  • Clean rivers (24)
  • Plastic soupermarket (2)
  • Trash hunters (49)
  • What is plastic soup? (12)
  • What to do with plastic waste? (12)
  • Types of plastic (3)
  • Press releases (16)
  • Beat the microbead (16)
  • Solutions (11)
  • Don't use balloons (3)
  • Gezondheidseffecten (56)
  • Animal cruelty (13)
  • sponsoring campaign (1)
  • Microbeads (27)
  • Sponsor actions (3)
  • Ocean Clean Wash (12)
  • About us (1)
  • Plastic Urban Mining (4)
  • Blogs (16)
  • My little plastic footprint (5)
  • Plastic Soup Awards (3)
  • Synthetic fibers (19)
  • Political plume (3)
  • actions frontpage (1)
  • nurdles (5)
  • Pressreleases (2)
  • Microplastics in cosmetics (1)
  • Junior (1)
  • No category (1)

Subscribe to our newsletter

and stay informed about our activities!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Donate now and contribute

I'll donate € 5I'll donate € 10I'll donate € 15Other amount

More news

EU ban on microplastics in cosmetics: too slow and too limited

Cosmetics companies selling personal care products without microplastics are calling for the swift introduction of a total ban in an open letter.

Read more

Sungai Watch prevents Bali’s plastic waste from reaching the ocean

In Bali, more and more rivers are being cleaned from plastic waste every day. What do Dutch travel suitcases made from recycled ocean plastic have to do with that?

Read more

Chemicals plastic cause overweight

Scientists suspect that fat formation in human bodies is stimulated by plastic.

Read more

The end of PFAS is a step closer

The Netherlands has submitted a proposal for a European ban to restrict the use of PFAS.

Read more

About us

  • Frontrunners
  • Mission & Vision
  • Our People
  • Working with Us
  • Annual Reports
  • Inquiries Press
  • Newsletter

Our approach

  • Plastic Soup Angels
  • Funds & Partners
  • Ambassadors
  • Plastic Soup Awards
  • Plastic Soup Atlas
  • Facts & Figures
DONATE
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • LinkedIn

  • YouTube

  • Contact

 

© Copyright - Plastic Soup Foundation
  • Contact
  • Privacy policy
  • GDPR Consent Settings
Are Plastic Roads The New Escape Route For Multinationals?Plastic Soup Foundation Does Not Sign the European Plastic Pact
Scroll to top

GDPR settings

This website uses some cookies which are placed on your device. Your web browser stores these cookies when you visit our Website: www.plasticsoupfoundation.org. These cookies will be retrieved when you visit or use our Website again. This allows us to recognise you as a previous visitor/user.

x
Settings

Your privacy and this website...

This website uses some cookies which are placed on your device. Your web browser stores these cookies when you visit our Website: www.plasticsoupfoundation.org. These cookies will be retrieved when you visit or use our Website again. This allows us to recognise you as a previous visitor/user.

Functional technology enables a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks, like your preferred language or the region that you are in. No personalised information is collected.

See details

This consent is used to track visitors across websites. The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers.

See details

This consent helps website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting.

See details
Forget my settings Settings have been forgotten