Canadian government plans to ban "toxic" microbeads in personal care products

Environmentalists who have been clamouring for a ban on microbeads are welcoming a proposal from the Canadian government to do just that for personal care products.

On Thursday (July 30), with a federal election looming, Environment Canada put out a news release bearing the somewhat partisan headline "Harper Government to ban microbeads in personal care products". 

The proposal is to add microbeads to the list of toxic substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

"A thorough scientific review that included an analysis of over 130 scientific papers as well as consultations with experts revealed that the presence of microbeads in the environment may have long-term effects on biological diversity and ecosystems," the release states.

Microbeads are tiny plastic particles—which are neither biodegradable nor captured by sewage-treatment plants—found in body scrubs and toothpastes.

In March, the House of Commons passed NDP MP Megan Leslie’s motion calling for microbeads to be declared a toxic substance.

Ecojustice is just one of the environmental groups backing a ban on microbeads.

In a news release, Ecojustice notes microbeads "absorb dangerous pollutants such as PCBs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are already present in the marine environment".

"When fish, birds and other wildlife ingest these plastics, the harmful pollutants accumulate in species low in the food chain and are passed onto larger predators, eventually contaminating the fish and other wildlife species consumed by humans," the release states.

The group wants the ban to apply to all microbeads, including those touted as being biodegradable.

“Let’s make sure we get this ban right the first time and ensure that we are banning all manner of microbeads — including so-called biodegradable ones — from entering Canada’s rivers, lakes and streams,” Devon Page, Ecojustice executive director, said in the release.