microplastics

Microbead ranking: industry disarray shows need for political ban, says Greenpeace

Last edited 25 July 2016 at 3:49pm
20 July, 2016

A new Greenpeace report has ranked the world’s 30 biggest cosmetics and personal care companies on their commitment to tackling the issue of microbeads in their products.

The report, compiled by Greenpeace East Asia, paints a picture of an industry in disarray: with some companies virtually ignoring the issue and others suggesting limited action.

The Good Scrub Guide and other simple ways to beat the microbead

Posted by Fiona Nicholls — 27 June 2016 at 2:22pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Credit Olivia Bailey-FFI

Guest blog by Daniel Steadman of Fauna & Flora International<--break-><--break-><--break->

Microbeads - the story so far….

Posted by Elisabeth Whitebread — 21 June 2016 at 5:17pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Fred Dott/Greenpeace
Microbeads on a fingertip illustrating just how tiny they are

Last Wednesday on World Oceans Day we handed our microbeads petition into Number 10. Over 300,000 of you signed the petition - one of the biggest petitions in Greenpeace UK’s history! This is the story of the campaign so far.

Can the Cosmetics Industry help win a microbead ban?

Posted by FariahSyed — 13 June 2016 at 11:34am - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Fred Dott/ Greenpeace

 

On World Oceans Day, while we handed in our BanTheBead petition, I took a trip down to Parliament to attend the Environmental Audit Committee’s (EAC) inquiry into the environmental impact of microplastics. The EAC is a group of MPs from all parties who come together to review and attempt to resolve environmental issues such as climate change, flooding and air quality and last Wednesday, they looked at microplastics.<--break->

 

Taking Microbeads straight to No10!

Posted by Fiona Nicholls — 9 June 2016 at 2:27pm - Comments
312,239 signatures on the microbeads petition
All rights reserved. Credit: David Mirzoeff / Greenpeace

Yesterday, on a rainy summer’s day we took the petition urging David Cameron to ban microbeads to Number 10 Downing Street, complete with 312,239 of YOUR signatures!<--break->

310,000 people call for microbead ban in cosmetic products on World Oceans Day

Last edited 21 June 2016 at 1:45pm
8 June, 2016

London, 8 June 2016 - A coalition of environmental groups marked World Oceans Day by presenting David Cameron with a petition signed by more than 300,000 people calling for the Prime Minister to ban the toxic microplastic particles known as microbeads.

Found in products such as facial scrubs and toothpaste, millions of the tiny plastics are flushed unwittingly into the world’s oceans every year where they ultimately end up in the marine food chain.

A report published last week found that fish can become smaller and slower due to the effects of eating microplastics.

The long list of names were presented at Number 10 by representatives of Greenpeace UK, the Environmental investigation Agency (EIA), Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).

Baby fish are hooked on plastic junk food

Posted by alice.hunter — 3 June 2016 at 11:15am - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Oona Lönnstedt
Perch larvae that has ingested microplastic particles

Today brought yet more evidence that putting plastic in the ocean is probably not the best idea humankind has ever had.

Over 90% of Britons want Cameron to ban toxic microbeads

Last edited 14 April 2016 at 11:12am
14 April, 2016

London, 13 April 2016 - An overwhelming majority of Britons believe a ban should be introduced in the UK on the harmful microplastics known as microbeads, according to a new survey commissioned by Greenpeace UK. More than 90 % of respondents supported a ban similar to that introduced by Barack Obama in the US, representing an opportunity for David Cameron to take a position at the leadership table on marine plastic pollution.

The results of the poll published today showed that an overwhelming 84 % of consumers would be turned off from buying  a company’s product if it was found to be extensively polluting the oceans and come after more than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition calling for a ban.

The survey also demonstrated that over two thirds of people were not aware of what a microbead was, but when told said they would subsequently avoid using anything containing them.

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