Personal Care Products Council Media Statement on Plastic Microbeads in Personal Care Products
“The nation’s personal care products companies are pleased to support efforts that demonstrate their longstanding commitment to the global stewardship of their products. We are guided by the core value to do the right thing based on the best available science when addressing product safety or the environmental impact of our products.
“Plastic microbeads are used in cosmetic and personal care products because of their safe and effective exfoliating properties. However, our industry takes concerns regarding the presence of plastic microbeads in the environment very seriously. Many personal care products companies have voluntarily committed to discontinue formulating with plastic microbeads in cleansing products in favor of other viable alternatives despite the uncertainty associated with the science. Further, the Council supported legislation to ban microbeads in exfoliating and cleansing personal care products collaborating with a wide range of environmental, governmental and businesses stakeholders in Illinois on Senate Bill 2727, which was recently signed into law by Governor Pat Quinn.
“Governor Quinn noted that the legislation would make Illinois the first state in the nation to adopt this legislation which passed the legislature on a bi-partisan basis with unanimous votes in both the Illinois House and Senate.
“We urge policy makers to work with all sectors of the business community as they seek to eliminate plastic waste in our waterways and to identify effective and realistic solutions that consider the existing and emerging science as it becomes available.
“Our industry remains firmly committed to producing products that are safe for consumers, their families, and the environment.”