Cosmetics without microplastics: it’s worth taking a look – for the environment & our future

Microplastics are increasingly becoming the focus of science. For good reason. Tiny plastic particles have long since entered the food chain. But what does cosmetics have to do with it and what can each of us do to ensure that less microplastics end up in the environment?

What exactly is microplastic, why is it considered an invisible danger and what can we do to combat environmental pollution with microplastics in everyday life? Find out here.

1. What is microplastic and what does it contain?
2. Is microplastic harmful to us and our environment?
3. How can I avoid microplastics?
4. Is cosmetics possible without microplastics?

What is microplastic and what does it contain?

Microplastics are on everyone's lips - and perhaps even in the truest sense of the word. The small plastic particles have long since reached the food chain. What ends up in the sea as plastic waste breaks down over time into the finest particles and is ingested by marine animals. If these are eaten by larger sea creatures, the plastic particles migrate further - until they may one day end up on your plate. Polyethylene and polypropylene from packaging for everyday products are particularly often found in waters.

There are two types of microplastics:

• Primary microplastics: for example, petroleum-based raw material for the production of plastic packaging or hygiene products
• Secondary microplastics: created by the decay of larger plastic parts

Microplastics are also found in some cosmetic products, such as peelings or toothpaste. Because microplastics are “out” and manufacturers of conventional products have also noticed this, many packages are labeled “microplastic-free”.

But liquid plastic in cosmetic products such as sun creams, shower gel, hair wax or hair treatments also ends up in sewage treatment plants via the drain. If you are not a chemist, you have little chance of recognizing liquid plastic in cosmetic or household products. Cryptic names on the list of ingredients like these provide information:

• PEG/PPG-17/18-Dimethicone
• Cyclopentasiloxane
• Polyquaternium-68
• VP/VP
• Acrylates Crosspolymer

Tricky: Since liquid plastic is not considered microplastics - by definition, microplastics are solid plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters - you quickly fall into the liquid plastic trap. These substances, which are difficult to break down, end up in sewage treatment plants via the drain and from there in water bodies or as fertilizer on fields via sewage sludge. Environmentalists are therefore calling for a ban on microplastics and other synthetic substances which are difficult to break down in cosmetics and everyday products such as detergents.

Speaking of detergent: The finest plastic fibers also end up in the wastewater via the washing machine when clothing made of synthetic fibers such as fleece is washed. Despite the most modern technology, sewage treatment plants can only retain a portion of the small plastic particles.

To add to the impact of our modern lifestyle, here is another example of how microplastics enter the environment: every day, around the clock, across the entire planet, via tire wear. Pretty heavy, right?

Is microplastic harmful to us and our environment?

It is not yet clear how dangerous microplastics are for the health of humans, animals and the environment, but scientists are alarmed. Much of the plastic waste in the sea can no longer be found. Perhaps because it has broken down into tiny particles or is stored on the seabed in a place that is difficult to access. The smaller the microplastic particles are, the more living creatures can ingest them and the further they spread in the food chain.

Since microplastics are already omnipresent in the oceans, researchers fear devastating effects on the marine ecosystem. Microplastics are colonized by algae and potentially harmful bacteria such as vibrios. The currents cause the particles to move slowly through the waters. Enough time for the "passengers" to adapt to the respective conditions and thus disrupt the ecological balance.

Especially at depth, there is a high risk that marine life will ingest microplastics and that the particles will then pass from one organism to the next via the food chain. But huge amounts of micro and macroplastics are not only floating on the seabed and on the water surface. Researchers have been able to detect huge quantities of the finest plastic particles in the pack ice of the Arctic. If the ice melts, these will begin their journey through the oceans.

Depending on the nature of the plastic, microplastics can contain other chemicals such as plasticizers or flame retardants, which attract other chemicals in the water like a magnet and grow into a chemical cocktail. Even pollutants that have long been banned and are still found in the environment can be bound and absorbed by living organisms.

How microplastics enter the human organism

Microplastics can enter the human body through the consumption of mussels or fish, but the finest particles can also be inhaled through breathing. The long-term effects of microplastics in the body have not yet been researched. Researchers criticize the early all-clear from the WHO, which does not consider microplastics in water to be a risk to humans.

Although larger plastic particles can be excreted, what about the chemicals? Professor Colin Janssen from the University of Ghent in Belgium was able to prove that microplastics can penetrate the stomach lining and accumulate in the tissue. The question of how microplastics inhaled through the air affect the organism also remains open.

How can I avoid microplastics?

Around 80 percent of plastic waste comes from land into the sea, where packaging and films slowly decompose into microplastics. As things stand today, microplastics cannot be completely removed from the environment. This makes it all the more important to produce less plastic waste and to minimize hidden sources of microplastics as much as possible.

Garments made from natural materials such as linen or sustainably grown cotton are more environmentally friendly than blends with synthetic fibers.

Special bags for cleaning garments made of synthetic materials hold back synthetic fibers.

Prefer more environmentally friendly packaging such as refillable packaging or recycled glass.

Tire wear from cars contributes enormously to the microplastic load in the environment. Carpooling and public transport may not always be possible, but they are an environmentally friendly way of getting around.

Consistently use cleaning products and cosmetic products that are free of microplastics and synthetic substances that are difficult to degrade.

You don't want to miss out on your beloved coffee to go? Use reusable cups or get a thermal cup. For take-away food, you can pack a food storage container. Sure, it takes some getting used to at first - but let's imagine that people all over the world left the house armed with a jute bag, lunch box and thermal cup. This would save tons of waste every day.

Is cosmetics possible without microplastics?

The EU Cosmetics Regulation regulates many things, but not the biodegradability of ingredients. Common plastics in cosmetic products include:

• Polyamide (PA, Nylon-6, Nylon-12)
• Acrylate Copolymer (AC)
• Acrylate Crosspolymer (ACS)
• Polyacrylates (PA)
• Crosspolymer (C10-C30)

If you want to avoid microplastics, use products in your everyday life that are biodegradable and packaged as environmentally friendly as possible. Although certified natural cosmetics are free of petroleum-based microplastics and other petroleum-based plastics - depending on the seal - the demands that the seal issuers place on manufacturers vary greatly. In addition, the rarely used polylactic acid is not banned in natural cosmetics, but is difficult to break down.

We avoid any questionable ingredients such as microplastics, nanoparticles, PEG and silicones in any of our products. Here I would like to introduce you to a few cosmetic alternatives that are good for you and the environment.

Cosmetics without microplastics:

Peeling: A peeling with plastic particles can easily be replaced with natural raw materials such as sugar, nutshells or silica. Our AHA peeling and the BHA peeling do not contain any abrasive particles. Simply apply, leave overnight and wake up fresh the next day.

Skin cleansing: Avoid wet wipes or skin cleansing products that contain microplastics or liquid plastic. Our cleansing oil removes dirt and makeup with 7 valuable plant oils and mild sugar surfactants. If possible, remove makeup first with a cotton pad. This way, less makeup ends up in the wastewater. Our shower gel is also free of microplastics and silicones and cleanses your skin with environmentally friendly and skin-friendly sugar-based surfactants.

Solid cosmetic products: Whether it's solid shower gel, solid shampoo, solid shaving soap or solid hand soap - solid products are brilliant for daily body care in harmony with Mama Nature. We've even developed a solid conditioner that you can use to tame your mane. Solid products don't come in a jar or bottle, so you don't even need a plastic pump dispenser, yay!

Take a look:

OUR SOLID SHAMPOO & OTHER SOLID PRODUCTS

To the product

Sources:

https://www.awi.de/ueber-uns/service/presse/presse-detailansicht/mikroplastik-rieselt-mit-schnee.html

https://junglueck.de/blogs/wissen/mikroplastik-umweltbelastung-durch-kosmetik?_pos=1&_psq=mikro&_ss=e&_v=1.0

https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/service/uba-fragen/was-ist-mikroplastik

https://www.greenpeace.de/sites/www.greenpeace.de/files/publications/20160926_greenpeace_mikroplastik_meere_report.pdf

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.140317

https://www.bund.net/fileadmin/user_upload_bund/publikationen/meere/meere_mikroplastik_einkaufsfuehrer.pdf

https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/062231-000-A/mikroplastik-im-meer/