Microbead ban – bring it on

Environment Minister Nick Smith is banning microbeads in New Zealand cosmetics. Photo: Robert Kitchin/Fairfax

Seafood New Zealand wants the government ban on microbeads brought forward, says Seafood New Zealand Chief Executive Tim Pankhurst.

He welcomes the announcement the Government will ban the use of microbeads in make-up and other beauty products, citing their impact on oceans and marine life.

'Research has shown that fish may eat the particles, rather than natural food sources, and they either die of starvation or their growth is stunted before they reach maturity,” says Tim.

'The minute beads are a hazard and are causing needless damage to New Zealand's waterways and seas. The ban is effective July 2018 but it would preferable for that to be brought forward.

'These small plastic particles, which do not biodegrade are a well-known hazard to the environment.”

Environment Minister Nick Smith announced the ban on microbeads on Monday.

One tube of microbead facewash could contain more than 300,000 tiny plastic beads. Most end up washed through water filtration systems and into the sea, where they were ingested by marine animals.

A University of Canterbury-led project highlighted the problem with microbeads.

University of Canterbury researchers, including environmental chemist Dr Sally Gaw and Water Resource Management PhD student Phil Clunies-Ross, in collaboration with the University of Otago, found concentrations of microplastics on Canterbury beaches comparable to concentrations found overseas in more heavily populated areas.

It is difficult to remove plastics once they had been released into the oceans,” says Sally. She's pleased their research has influenced the Government's proposal and praises the ban as a valuable first stage.

'Banning microbeads in personal care products is a great step forward that will remove one source of microplastics entering the oceans. Further steps will be required to reduce the enormous volume of plastics entering our oceans each year,” says Sally.

'We need to re-evaluate our love affair with plastic, and get smarter about how and when we use plastic if we are to protect our oceans.”

Microbead Fact File

by Dr Sally Gaw, Environmental Chemistry academic, University of Canterbury

  • Microplastics are small pieces of plastic less than 5 mm in diameter.
  • There are two types of microplastics; manufactured microplastics such as microbeads; and microplastics formed from the breakdown of larger plastic items in the environment.
  • Microplastics degrade very slowly.
  • Microplastics are a concern as they are widespread in oceans and have been found in an increasing number of marine animals.
  • Aquatic animals including fish and shellfish can ingest microplastics and animals may mistake them from food as they can look like prey items. Ingesting microplastics can trick animals into feeling full, causing starvation and microplastics can damage digestive tracts affecting the health of the animals.
  • Microplastics can concentrate contaminants from the water which may be transferred to the animals when they ingest microplastics.
  • Microbeads are commonly used in personal care products like body scrubs as abrasives and are washed down the drain. Microbeads are not removed by wastewater treatment plants and will be discharged with the treated wastewater into the environment.

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1 comment

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Posted on 17-01-2017 19:43 | By Icon

As usual, the fishing industry jumps on a positive bandwagon, all the while turning a blind eye to the reality of their appalling fishing practices. They should be ashamed.


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