The Effects of Glitter on the Environment
By: Erin Spiek
We’ve all used glitter at some point in our lives. I mean, who didn’t find joy using the sparkly stuff to decorate crafts in elementary school? Or maybe you sent a glitter bomb to your friend as a prank. But like most things these days, there are adverse effects on the environment. Most glitter products are made from plastic, and when they are released into the environment, they can cause a variety of issues.
Glitter is a microplastic, which means that it is less than 5 mm in length. Microplastic is one of the worst kinds of plastic pollution, and it makes up for 85% of plastic in the environment. It is so harmful because its tiny size allows it to easily pass through water filtration systems and end up oceans and lakes. Once it's in the water, it can easily be consumed by very small organisms and work its way up the food chain onto our plates. It’s consumed by fish, plankton, birds, and even oysters. A study from Plymouth University found that 33% of fish caught in the U.K. had plastic in their systems. It also collects in their stomachs, which can lead to starvation.
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| Microplastics on the beach |
Ingestion is not the only harmful effect on marine life, though. Microplastic can also provide a “lifeboat” for bacteria, which means that potentially harmful microbes are more likely to survive in aquatic environments. Finally, over time, glitter releases chemicals that can disrupt human and animal hormones. For what seems like such a small, insignificant piece of everyday life, glitter causes a lot of problems that are not easily solved.
However, as this gains more attention in the media, there are some things being done to stop the problems glitter causes. In 2015, the U.S. passed a law that banned microbeads, another microplastic found in face and body washes, and it was implemented in 2017. Since they’re both microplastics, scientists believe that it would be beneficial to ban both glitter and microbeads. Similarly, a group in the U.K. called 38 Degrees has started a petition that calls for a total ban of glitter.
Recently, there have also been alternatives to glitter making their way into stores. Brands like Glitter Revolution and BioGlitz have created biodegradable options that work just as well as normal glitter — it just has to be created carefully so it doesn’t break down. It may be hard to find in everyday life, but it may be worth it to prevent the pollution of the oceans. Similarly, Lush has begun to use synthetic mica and mineral shimmer in their bath bombs, both of which are plastic-free. So while glitter is still being used and impacting the environment, it is good to know that there are steps being taken towards lowering plastic pollution.
Questions:
- How often do you use glitter? Do you think about the consequences when you do use it?
- Do you think it’s important for people to raise awareness about glitter? How should we go about it?
- What do you think is the best way to stop glitter and other microplastic from polluting the oceans?
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