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Scientists Call For Ban On Glitter, Say It's a Global Hazard That Pollutes Oceans (cnet.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNET: Whether you love to add a little sparkle to your skin, or you think glitter truly is the herpes of the craft world (once it's on you, it never comes off), some scientists are now claiming that glitter is a hazard to the environment. Glitter, along with microbeads, are considered to fall under the category of microplastics, which are defined as plastics which are less than five millimeters in length. Microbeads are often found in facial scrubs, toothpaste, soaps, cosmetics and more. These microbeads pass through water filtration systems after usage but don't disintegrate, and often end up being consumed by marine life, causing concern among scientists keeping a close eye on how pollution effects fish.
"I think all glitter should be banned, because it's microplastic," Dr. Trisia Farrelly of New Zealand's Massey University told the Independent. Historically, glitter was made from mica rock particles, glass and even crushed beetles. Modern-day crafting glitter is made primarily from metals, while fine-milled cosmetic glitter is made from polyester, foil and plastics.
"I think all glitter should be banned, because it's microplastic," Dr. Trisia Farrelly of New Zealand's Massey University told the Independent. Historically, glitter was made from mica rock particles, glass and even crushed beetles. Modern-day crafting glitter is made primarily from metals, while fine-milled cosmetic glitter is made from polyester, foil and plastics.
Makes for a great demonstration of pollution in the classroom. Pour four tablespoons of ultra fine glitter in the middle of the floor, it dosent matter how large the room is. Let all the students run around for 10 minutes. Now have them examine where it went - wow it's over everyone and everything almost automagically!? When they inevitably ask - 'ok now how do we clean it up and get it off our clothes?' Keep it real and say 'exactly', then walk out.
It depends strongly on the type of metal though. Iron, even in small chunks, is not going to be an issue because it will rapidly oxidise to rust which is readily found naturally. On the other hand, a metal like lead is highly toxic and relatively stable and is really bad for the environment. So I'm not saying that metal glitter is necessarily fine for the environment all I am pointing out is that if microplastics are bad for the environment then it does not logically follow that we should ban metal glitter. This would be like arguing that plastic bags are bad for the environment so therefore we should ban paper bags.
If experience is any guide, the kid will visit home from college and when he gets back to his dorm, a bit of that glitter on his bag will catch the light and remind him of elementary school when he first tracked it home.
I own a boat. Every metal I put into the sea turns into its oxidized form (i.e. ore) within months, if not weeks. I have to work my butt off to prevent this (paint, coatings, sacrificial anodes, galvanic isolator). There are above-water metal parts which I thought were thoroughly painted, yet a few days after being splashed with seawater I notice extensive corrosion.
If metallic glitter can somehow survive in the ocean for more than a few months with zero maintenance effort, then I wanna know what metal it's made out of so I can build my boat out of it. I'm completely on board with a ban on plastic glitter (I've had to vacuum way too much of that crap up out of my carpets). But I seriously doubt metallic glitter is worthy of such a ban.