The production or importation of cosmetics containing microbeads should immediately be halted in order to protect vulnerable marine life, a Senate inquiry has recommended.

Microbeads are tiny spheres less than 5mm in size that are usually used as exfoliants in beauty products. They can cause harm to marine life after draining into the ocean.

A Senate committee found that the threat of microbeads was so great that they should be immediately banned.

“The committee is supportive of any moves to remove microbeads from consumer products,” the committee report said. “However, it considers that the evidence of the level of damage to the environment from microbeads is such that an immediate ban should occur.”

“While such bans do not comprehensively address all sources of microplastics, it is an important first step,” the report said.

The US and Canada have already pledged to phase out microbeads in products, and momentum is growing in Britain for the Cameron government to do the same.

“Every item of plastic that enters the ocean breaks into a million tiny pieces and that these micro-plastics get taken up by lifeforms as small as plankton and then accumulate up the food chain,” Greens senator, Peter Whish-Wilson, said. “While the impacts on seabirds and marine mammals are starting to become clearer, the potential impacts on human health of eating seafood with these micro-plastics are alarmingly unstudied.”

The World Economics Forum in January released alarming statistics about the prevalence of plastics in the world’s oceans.

“Each year, at least 8m tonnes of plastics leak into the ocean – which is equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute. If no action is taken, this is expected to increase to two per minute by 2030 and four per minute by 2050,” its plastics report said.

The Senate committee found the issue was so pressing that it should be urgently considered by the Council of Australian Governments meeting of commonwealth and state environment ministers.

The committee also recommends the nationwide ban of plastic bags. A number of states and territories – including South Australia, Northern Territory, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory – have already implemented bans on single-use, disposable plastic bags.

“Australians use 3.92bn lightweight plastic grocery bags a year, and it is estimated that approximately 80m bags become litter every year,” the report said.

 

Source : theguardian.com

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