Microplastics & microbeads: why to avoid them and what to use instead
Pass straight through wastewater treatment, persist in oceans and soil, and are ingested throughout the food chain.
The short answer
Rinse-off microbeads are largely gone from Western markets, but synthetic-textile shedding is now the bigger household source. A laundry filter bag or a front-load cold cycle cuts fibre release far more than any cosmetic swap.
- Where it hides
- Exfoliating scrubs, glitter cosmetics, toothpaste, liquid detergent capsules, synthetic fleece
- Cleaner swap
- Sugar, salt, jojoba beads, ground apricot kernel or oat exfoliants; natural-fibre clothing; a laundry filter bag for synthetics you already own.
- Also listed as
- Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Nylon-12, Acrylates copolymer, PMMA
The label names to scan for
- Polyethylene
- Polypropylene
- Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)
- Nylon-6 / Nylon-12
- Acrylates copolymer
- Polyurethane
- Plastic glitter (PET)
What regulators have actually done
The US Microbead-Free Waters Act bans rinse-off microbeads; the EU adopted a wide restriction on intentionally added microplastics in 2023, phasing out cosmetic microbeads, loose glitter and microplastic-containing products through 2035.
Fibres beat beads
Estimates attribute a third or more of ocean microplastics to synthetic textile laundering. Fleece and cheap polyester shed most; washing cold, on shorter cycles, with a full drum and a fibre-catching bag measurably reduces it.
Reading a cosmetics label
Plastic hides under polymer names rather than the word plastic. Scan for polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, acrylates copolymer and PMMA — common in scrubs, mascara film-formers and long-wear makeup.
Microplastics & microbeads: frequently asked questions
Are microbeads banned?+
Yes in rinse-off cosmetics in the US, UK and EU. Leave-on products and glitter are covered later under the EU's broader microplastic restriction timetable.
How do I stop microfibre shedding?+
Wash synthetics cold on a full load, use a fibre-catching bag or an in-line filter, air-dry where possible, and buy fewer low-quality polyester garments.