By 2029, eyeshadows, nail polishes and other cosmetics that shimmer and shine from plastic glitter could be banned in California.
In the latest push to curb the prevalence of microplastics in the environment, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved a first-in-the-nation bill that would ban the sale of personal care products that contain plastic glitter or plastic microbeads.
The proposal by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner would expand a 2015 state law that already bans microplastic beads in products that are intended to be immediately rinsed off, such as face washes and toothpastes.
But the latest bill would apply to products that are left on — including lotions and makeup — as well as household products such as cleaners and detergents. Companies add microbeads to these items to give them abrasive or exfoliating properties.
Research has found that microplastics — extremely small particles of plastic that do not break down easily in the environment — detected in the human body could be linked to cardiovascular disease and stroke, cancer, and neurological problems.
Potentially harmful levels of so-called “forever chemicals” associated with plastics are found in California’s coastal waters and drinking water. State lawmakers recently banned sturdier single-use plastic bags, and attempted to ban the use of forever chemicals in synthetic turf.
This wouldn’t spell the end of California stores stocking glittering makeup, though. Some major cosmetic brands sell products that contain mica, a mineral that can lend makeup its shimmer. Though concerns have been raised about mica sourcing, some research has found that mica could serve as a naturally-occuring alternative to plastic glitter.
- Boerner, a Solana Beach Democrat: “I’m all for glitter and glamor. But let it be safe and let it not harm our health. ”
The bill is now before the Senate’s appropriations committee. If passed, California manufacturers and retailers that make, distribute or sell these products would be fined up to $2,500 per day for each violation.