Illinois recently became the first state to pass a law banning products containing microbeads - the tiny pieces of plastic found in such things as skin exfoliants and soap. The new law bans their manufacture by the end of 2018 and sale by the end of 2019, phasing in the ban in stages for different product types. Violators of the ban will be subject to civil penalties of up to (1) $1,000 for a first violation and (2) $2,500 for second or subsequent violations.
According to National Public Radio articles on the legislation, environmentalists are concerned that when microbeads wash down the drain, they are not captured by filtration systems and can become part of the food chain. The microbeads, often made of polyethylene or polypropylene, are roughly the same size as fish eggs and may look like food to some fish. And if fish eat the microbeads, they may absorb toxins, which scientists believe could be passed on to humans and wildlife that then eat the fish.
The articles reported that some manufacturers are in the process of (1) phasing out microbeads and (2) testing alternatives.
