By Sarah “Steve” Mosko
Appeared:
Algalita Marine Research Foundation Blog, 21-June, 2015
Surf City Voice, 11 June, 2015
Fullerton Observer, Early June, 2015
E-Magazine’s EarthTalk, 19-May, 2015
San Diego Free Press, 01-May, 2015
OB Rag, 04-May, 2015
There are signs that the era where plastic microbeads from personal care products pollute bodies of water worldwide and aquatic food chains might be drawing to a close.
Microbeads are miniscule spheres of plastic commonly added as abrasives to personal care products like face scrubs, shower gels and toothpaste. They’re designed to wash down the drain, but because of their small size, they escape sewage treatment plants. Once discharged into oceans, rivers or lakes or onto land, they’re virtually impossible to clean up.
They’re typically made of polyethylene or polypropylene and do not biodegrade within any meaningful human time scale, especially in aquatic environments. And, like other plastics, they attract and accumulate oily toxins commonly found in bodies of water (e.g. DDT, PCBs and flame retardants).
Posted by Sarah (Steve) Mosko 
Boogie Green 