ENSTU 300: Critical Thinking & Communication in Environmental Studies
Microplastic Pollution Policies
Killian May, Environmental Studies Program, California State University
Monterey Bay
Microbeads commonly found in products.
Policy Context
In the recent years, microplastic
pollution has become a dominant issue within
the marine ecosystems. The micro particles of
plastic fragmentation have increased as
populations and production of plastic have
grown. According to the National Ocean
Atmospheric Association (NOAA) plastics enter
the ocean environment through a number of
ways such as improper waste management,
littering on shorelines, storm water runoff, and
intentional or accidental dumping (Parker,
2013). Microplastics are considered to be less
than 5mm in size and include manufactured
products such as microbeads found in cosmetics
and other personal care products. Microbeads
have also been found within industrial scrubbers
for abrasive cleaning, and resin pellets that are
used in the plastic manufacturing process.
(Parker, 2013). With the increase of personal
care products across the globe, these microbead
scrubs used to clean skin have become a huge
issue within the stomachs of fish as well as
degrading habitats due to unnatural
overabundances.
Federal Policy
The United States Federal Government
has developed a policy over the recent years to
deal with the microbead pollution derived from
personal care products. The approach taken
towards eliminating microplastic pollution from
such products created the bill H.R. 1321 the
Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, and it
became a law on December 28, 2015. This bill
currently amends the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act to ban rinse-off cosmetics that
purposefully added unnecessary plastic
microbeads beginning on January 1, 2018 with a
ban on manufacturing these particular cosmetic
products by July 1, 2017. (Pallone, 2015). The
subject term to best describe the policy measures
was health, and the House Energy and
Commerce Subcommittee on Health were
behind the action taken towards implementing
the policy (Pallone, 2015). Across the United
States, the policy appears to be affective, as
companies have taken positive actions towards
eliminating the beads from product lines.
Representative Frank Pallone Jr., a democrat of
New Jersey said the rapid success and
unanimous decision from the Senate surprised
him. He states, “There was a lot of support, and
there wasn’t much opposition” (Schwartz, 2015).
New York State Policy
On the state level, New York was one
the first to enact the strict guidelines for personal
care products. Senate Bill S3932 prohibits the
sale of personal cosmetic products with
microbead formulas on January 1, 2016. The
implementation of the state law aims to
eliminate the pollution within New York’s
waterways in efforts to restore lakes and rivers
that flow into the ocean. Disposal through sink
drains has allowed these microbeads to flush
down pipes and enter waterways where fish and
other aquatic organisms ingest the beads (S.
3932, 2017). A report generated by the office of
state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman noted
that microbeads passed through twenty-five of
the thirty-four wastewater treatment plants in
seventeen different counties. (Wheeler, 2015).
On the consumer level, people have taken steps
towards eliminating their own personal products
containing the harmful microbeads. People have
taken products out of their cabinets and set them
aside for the pharmaceutical collection days
where medicine is properly be disposed by
professionals (Wheeler, 2015).
California State Policy
Another state that has taken initiative in
implementing a ban on the single-use plastic
beads in cosmetic products is California. The
state policy AB 888 bans the sale of products
containing plastic microbeads that are found in
facial scrubs, personal care products, and
toothpastes (AB 888, 2015). The bill passed on
October 8, 2015, which was signed by Governor
Jerry Brown and assembly member Richard
Bloom (D-Santa Monica) who helped author the
bill. Main sponsors for the bill include
Californians Against Waste, California
Association of Sanitation Agencies, Clean Water
Action, The Story of Stuff Project, and the 5
Gyres Institute (Californians Against Waste,
2015). The bill aims to reduce the problem at the
2
source by eliminating all microbeads from
products by 2020. Alternatives such as cocoa
beans, salt, and apricot shells are the sustainable
approach to using biodegradable methods.
Unlike most microbead bans throughout the
country AB 888 does not allow for the use of
new forms of plastic that producers claim are
safe and biodegradable because they are not
scientifically proven to be biodegradable. The
only way a product can be used is if it shows
evidence that it can be broken down naturally.
AB 888 takes affect January 1, 2020 and is
estimated to keep thirty-eight tons of plastic
pollution out of California’s freshwater and
marine ecosystems (Californians Against Waste,
2015).
Literature Cited
AB No. 888. (2015). Retrieved from:
https://www.cawrecycles.org/ab-888-bloom/
Californians Against Waste (2015). Oct 8 -
California approves nation's toughest ban on
plastic microbeads. (2015, October 08).
Retrieved from:
https://www.cawrecycles.org/recycling-
news/california-approves-nations-toughest-ban-
on-plastic-microbeads
H.R. 1321, 114 Cong. § 1 (2015). Retrieved
from:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-
congress/house-bill/1321
NY State Senate Bill S. 3932. (2017, November
08). Retrieved from:
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2015/
S3932
Pallone, F. (2015, December 28). H.R.1321 -
114th Congress (2015-2016): Microbead-Free
Waters Act of 2015. Retrieved March 05, 2018,
from https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-
congress/house-bill/1321
Parker, D. (2013, July 18). Plastics | OR&R's
Marine Debris Program. Retrieved from:
https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/types/plastics

Perchard, E. (2016, March 18). EAC

launches microplastic inquiry. (2016).
Retrieved from:
https://resource.co/article/eac-launches-
microplastic-inquiry-10957
Schwartz, J. (2015, December 22). Ban on
Microbeads Proves Easy to Pass Through
Pipeline. Retrieved from:
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/23/science/ba
n-on-microbeads-proves-easy-to-pass-through-
pipeline.html

Wheeler, S. (2015, April 23). Microbead ban

floats out of reach in New York. Retrieved
from:
http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2
015/04/23/microbead-legislation-new-
york/26261215/