Assemblywoman
Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) announced that she helped pass legislation to protect
precious North Country waterways from harmful plastic microbeads used in
cosmetic and personal care products that have been found in alarming
concentrations in the Great Lakes (A.8744).
“The North Country relies on natural
resources like the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario to drive tourism and
economic development,” Assemblywoman Russell said. “This sensible legislation
nips the problem in the bud before it does serious harm to wildlife and becomes
increasingly expensive to fix.”
Assemblywoman Russell noted that several
companies including Johnson & Johnson and Proctor & Gamble have already
committed to voluntarily cease the use of plastic microbeads in their
products. Other companies, such as
Burt’s Bees, use nonplastic alternatives like powdered pecan shells.
Products like facial scrubs, soaps and
some toothpastes contain thousands of polyethylene and polypropylene
micro-plastic particles, ranging from 50-500 microns, or ½ mm in diameter. Many
sewage treatment facilities do not capture synthetic, floating particles the
size of microbeads.
Studies have shown that pollutants like
PCBs, DDT, and PBDEs (flame retardants) are likely to be absorbed by plastics
like microbeads. When microbeads are eaten by fish, these pollutants enter the
food supply, endangering human health.
During the summer of 2012, the 5 Gyres
Institute, in collaboration with SUNY Fredonia, collected 21 samples of the
lake surface in three of the Great Lakes: Huron, Superior and Erie. These
downstream samples contained more plastic particles than any of the over 400
ocean samples the Institute collected. The highest concentrations of
micro-plastics were observed in Lake Erie, and accounted for about 90% of the
total plastics found.
“There are numerous natural replacements
that can be used in these products without jeopardizing the natural resources
that are so vital to our community,” Assemblywoman Russell said. “By taking
action now, we can preserve the health and vitality of our waters and prevent
costly cleanup efforts down the road.”
The legislation prohibits the sale
of products containing plastic microbeads beginning January 1, 2016. Products
containing microbeads that are regulated by the United States Food and Drug
Administration can be sold until January 1, 2017.
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