Liquid microplastics in cosmetics

The environmental impact of cosmetic ingredients

Many cosmetic products contain intentionally added microplastic ingredients.
The most well-known type is microbeads , which are solid microplastics that do not dissolve in water.

There are concerns that microbeads will accumulate in the environment after being washed away, and as a result, some countries have banned them from being used in rinse-off products such as shampoos and body washes.

However, microbeads are not the only microplastics used in cosmetics.

Liquid microplastics that dissolve in water pose the same environmental risks.

What are liquid microplastics?

According to European environmental groups, the liquid microplastics contain synthetic polymers and something called silicone oil .

Cosmetic ingredients are required to undergo safety evaluations to determine whether they irritate the human body or skin.
However, there are no standards for the impact on the environment, such as biodegradability. Therefore, ingredients that accumulate in nature can be freely used. In addition, ingredients that are toxic to aquatic life continue to be used.

Unregulated liquid microplastics

Solid microbeads are becoming more and more regulated worldwide, with the EU moving towards banning them from all cosmetic products.

However, there are no regulations regarding liquid microplastics.

This is because synthetic polymers and silicone oils do not fit the general definition of microplastics. In other words, not only are there no regulations, but they are considered to be "not microplastics."

Dissolving in water does not mean the substance disappears.
Just as salt is present in saltwater, even liquids can be a source of plastic pollution concerns, just like solid microbeads and other plastic products.

Furthermore, even if a material is said to be biodegradable, there is still insufficient research into how long it actually takes for it to decompose.

• Because it's not prohibited.
• Because it doesn't fit the general definition of microplastics.

For this reason, synthetic polymers with poor biodegradability continue to be used in many cosmetic products.

159 synthetic polymers suspected to be biodegradable

Mobile apps that allow you to easily check whether products contain microplastics are now commonly used in Europe and the United States.

One such app, CodeCheck from Switzerland, provides a report on the current status of microplastics in cosmetics.

A CodeCheck study based on a database of millions of products found that almost a third of cosmetic products contain synthetic polymers with poor biodegradability, including liquid microplastics.

The researchers also examined more than 50,000 products across 34 categories, including face masks, skin care products, shampoos and shower gels, and found that many of the products contained 159 synthetic polymers that were questionable in their biodegradability.

Acrylic polymers are liquid microplastics

According to the CodeCheck report, the top three least biodegradable liquid polymers are:

1. Carbomer (24% of products surveyed)
2. Cyclopentasiloxane (19% of products surveyed)
3. Acrylic acid (co)polymers (16% of surveyed products)

Acrylic acid (co)polymers are soluble in water, but are considered to have low biodegradability in the natural environment.

Most liquid polymers are invisible, so it may be hard to imagine their impact.

However, the report states that in Germany alone, 1,000 tonnes of microbeads and 50 times that amount, 50,000 tonnes of liquid microplastics, are released into the environment every year from cosmetics and detergents.

What do you think about the fact that this situation has been going on for years in many countries?

What is the situation in Japan?

In Japan, there is no law prohibiting the use of solid microbeads, and the government is only encouraging manufacturers to voluntarily impose restrictions on the use of shampoos and other rinse-off cosmetics.
And there is no sign that this is going to change anytime soon.

The CodeCheck report reveals the current situation in Europe.
In Japan, where regulations on microbeads are more lax than in Europe, I wonder how much microplastic material is being discharged.

Unfortunately, very little research has been done on microplastics in cosmetics in Japan, so there is very little information available.