Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/glitter-ban-environment-microbead-impact-microplastics-scientists-warning-deep-ocean-a8056196.html
Glitter has a negative environmental impact. An article on the Independent states scientists want it to be banned. "I think all glitter should be banned, because it's microplastic." said Dr. Trisia Farrelly, an environmental anthropologist at Massey University.
Microplastics are harmful because they can be a dangerous food item for animals. Many sea animals such as whales consume plastic which normally leads to illness or deaths. This also means microplastics can end up in human seafood.
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National Geographic
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/glitter-plastics-ocean-pollution-environment-spd/
"ANATOMY OF GLITTER
Glitter is made from plastic sheets and used in a wide array of products, including cosmetics. When washed down the drain, glitter becomes a subset of marine plastic litter known as microplastic. Microplastics, which measure less than five millimeters in length, are found throughout the world’s oceans, from the surface to the deep sea floor. They are consumed by plankton, fish, shellfish, seabirds, and other marine life. Plastic bits collect in birds’ stomachs, where they can cause them to die of starvation. Scientists have become increasingly concerned about its effects on fish and other marine life.
The greatest volume of microplastics comes from two sources: plastic trash broken down into flea-sized bits by UV rays and wave action, and manufactured plastic beads that are added to cosmetics and personal care products such as face wash and toothpaste. These microbeads do not degrade and in all probability will exist in the oceans for hundreds of years. Scientists estimate more than 8 trillion microbeads enter U.S. waters daily.
How much glitter escapes into the environment, and through which pathways, is still unknown.
“So while there is evidence of accumulation of microplastics in general and evidence of harm from lab studies, there is a lack of clear evidence specifically on glitter,” says Richard Thompson, a marine biologist at the University of Plymouth in western Britain and a leading expert on microplastics. “We have microplastic particles in around one third of the 500 fish we examined in the English Channel, but we did not find any glitter.”
Alice Horton, a research associate at Britain’s Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, told National Geographic there is no concrete data on glitter. Studies on the effects of microplastics, she adds, are “highly variable, depending on the type and shape of the particle, so it’s hard to say what any likely ecological effects would be.”
IS A BAN NEEDED?
Both Thompson and Horton say an outright ban on glitter is premature, given the lack of science on the subject. They say the continuing accumulation of microplastics in the seas can only cause more harm to marine life, but they suggest more effective remedies could be regulatory measures or manufacturers acting on their own."
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CNN
https://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/29/health/glitter-environment-hazard-microbead-ban-trnd/index.html
" They are a well-known environmental hazard for the world's oceans, and they're currently a hot topic in the United Kingdom. The UK next year will implement a ban on microbeads -- a type of microplastic found in face washes, body scrubs and other products. (The US already has a partial ban on microbeads in place.)
This impending ban prompted some scientists to tell The Independent that glitters -- like loose glitter and those found in makeup and body products -- should be considered a similar hazard.
"I was quite concerned when somebody bought my daughters some shower gel that had glitter particles in it," said Richard Thompson, a professor at Plymouth University who led a study examining how plastics affected marine environments.
"That stuff is going to escape down the plughole and potentially enter the environment," he said.
Microplastics can pollute marine environments, leech chemicals into the water and pose harm to marine life if they are ingested.
Dr. Trisia Farrelly, an environmental anthropologist at Massey University in New Zealand, told The Independent "all glitter should be banned."
Luckily, there is hope for those of us who still choose to punish ourselves for a glittery fix: Some companies make environmentally friendly alternatives that are biodegradable and don't clog up waterways.
For those in the UK, the coming microbead ban will also tackle some shiny concerns: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told The Independent the ban will include glitter in "rinse-off" cosmetics."
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Newsweek
"Microplastics are pretty much everywhere, she noted, and though the plastics themselves may cause problems, the stuff they bring with them may also be concerning. “Plastics are really good at absorbing chemicals,” Mason noted, which can bring some potentially dangerous ones into a fish’s body as they eat other organisms that have been contaminated with microplastics. These chemicals may include endocrine disruptors linked with sperm count issues and cancer risk, she noted.
Glitter can be found on its own, of course, but is also in some makeup or lotions. Washing your hands to get it off your skin may take care of the problem temporarily, but they can wind up back in your home or your body because the particles are often so small that they aren't filtered by water treatment plants. “You could have glitter in the glass of water you’re drinking right now," Mason said."
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Bustle
https://www.bustle.com/p/is-glitter-bad-for-the-environment-some-scientists-think-it-should-be-banned-full-stop-6764078
"Biodegradable glitter and traditional glitter differ by how it decomposes, not by how it looks. "Plastic glitter will take hundreds of years to decompose, and most glitter, because of its size will end up in the ocean and in fish. [...] But with [eco]glitter little micro-organisms found in places like soil and in the ocean will eat it over a period of months and that's how it breaks down," Sophie Awdry, co-founder and director of Eco Glitter Fun, told BBC.
So the upshot is that even though traditional plastic glitter is doing damage to the environment, there are alternatives that still give the same effect without further facilitating environmental degradation. There’s no need to run out to your local crafts store and stock up on shiny, emerald-colored microplastic. Whether you use glitter to make homemade crafts, get in the festival spirit, rip the runway, or exact revenge on your enemies, you can choose a biodegradable alternative. It won’t harm aquatic creatures, and it looks just as good."
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1 Million Women
https://www.1millionwomen.com.au/blog/glitter-why-its-not-so-glitzy-environment/
"What is 'micro-plastic'?
Plastics are entering oceans worldwide at an alarming rate. There's 8 million tonnes of the stuff ending up in the ocean every day – the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic every minute.
As the name suggests, microplastics are itty bitty pieces of plastic that measure less than 5mm. Microplastic is one of the worst kinds of plastic, and accounts for 85% of plastic found in the environment. The size of microplastics allows them to be ingested by the tiniest of organisms, and this is posing huge problems for aquatic life and consequently, us.
Microplastics move through the food chain, starting at the bottom (studies have shown that even oysters are ingesting plastic) and then working their way up as animals eat each other. Fish that get caught for human consumption are increasingly beginning to contain plastic particles, and microplastics are starting to kill fish before they reach reproductive age.
Cutting plastic-use wherever possible is key to actively contributing to solutions to the seemingly ever-growing problem of plastic. Opting against using single-use products, particularly those which we do not have a real need for is hugely positive lifestyle change.
But without glitter, how will I sparkle like a disco ball on a Saturday night!?
This is part where I provide a replacement for glitter, and I will, I promise. But think about it, do you really need glitter? I don't want to be a party pooper here, but we don't need more useless stuff in our life and society's addiction to disposable products like glitter is damning for the Earth. And you know what, I'm sure you're sparkly enough without the addition of glitter!
If you really can't do without a bit of shimmer, Lush cosmetics announced it would no longer plastic particles in its glittery products. Some companies are making 'biodegradable' glitter, but bear in mind that items claiming they are 'compostable' or 'degradable' are only so under certain conditions.
If you want to get your DIY on, creating glitter from natural ingredients is a fun way to get outdoors. This facepaint will make you look as fabulous as a sprinkling of glitter, and uses completely natural ingredients.
Evidentially, all that glitters is not gold (or good for our environment). When we're throwing it around at music festivals or parties, we're basically just littering with gleeful abandon. Being mindful and aware of the impact of the products we buy is key to making changes in our everyday life."
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BBC
"In the UK, a ban on microbeads will come into effect next year, which will impact on the type of glitter used in ‘rinse off’ cosmetics and personal care products. But other types of glitter won’t be covered by the ban.
Momentum seems to be growing for a glitter ban here, however. Last month, one nursery chain in Dorset made headlines by announcing it was banning glitter in its crèches because of the environmental impact of the product.
The nursery chain’s managing director, Cheryl Hadland, said, "You can see when the children are taking their bits of craft home and there's glitter on the cardboard, it blows off and into the air and on to the road, and it's only a tiny little bit, but we've got 3,000 children and they're all doing Christmas craft at the moment, so we've got glitter everywhere.
"There are 22,000 nurseries in the country, so if we're all getting through kilos and kilos of glitter, we're doing terrible damage, and these children, the world is for them.”
At the same time, there's also a new focus on environmentally friendly alternatives to glitter - made from eucalyptus tree extract and aluminium, and even lentils and rice."
