We have seen the various policies that governments have implemented, as well as how organizations like the Plastic Soup Foundation are creating innovative solutions to helping everyday consumers be more conscious of the products that use. To round off this section of solution that have already been or could be implemented to help reduce microplastic usage, I would like to suggest three ways that you as a consumer can help!
Actively shunning brands that use microplastics and microbeads
As consumers, we hold more power than we think we do; we decide where we want to allocate our spending dollars and we can determine who we think is worthy of those dollars, whether its because they’re doing something good for the environment or helping a worthy cause. As such, the most powerful thing consumers can do is to make the conscious decision not to buy from companies that still use microbeads in their products. Although it may seem like a tough decision to make because your favourite exfoliating cleanser is chock-full of microbeads, or that the shirt you wear every week is giving off more microfibres than anyone could imagine, know that the choices you make are constantly shaping your own future, as well as that of future generations. If you’re not sure what brands are microbead-free, you can download the Beat the Microbead app (from my last post) which can help you to scan ingredient lists to check for the presence of microbeads. Our individual actions may not seem like they count for much, but when thousands and millions of us join forces to reject microbead companies, they are forced to take their products off the shelves and replace them with something that doesn’t contain microplastics. Our voice matters, and it is imperative that we use it to amplify our desires for microbead bans.
Recycling or disposing of old products that contain microbeads
If you find that you have half-empty tubes of cosmetics that may contain microbeads but can’t bear to use them anymore after knowing the effects that using them will bring, you can consider bringing them to laboratories that do research on microbeads. The other alternative would be to dispose of the products properly. You can do this by running the product through a sieve under water, allowing the liquid to dissolve and wash away before throwing the leftover beads into a bag and throwing them in the bin in a bag. Though this is not the most eco-friendly option, Singapore has not yet developed technology to handle these microbeads appropriately, neither has its wastewater filtration systems improved to be able to filter the beads out though there are plans to do so in the future (Boh, 2016). For now, this is the next best option in ensuring that the microbeads won’t be washed down the drain and enter the ocean systems.
Staying updated with news, signing petitions and supporting similar causes
The last and best thing that we as consumers can do is to remain in the loop and keeping ourselves updated with news about advancements in microbead banning or reducing microplastics. As I’ve highlighted before, consumers determine the kinds of products that get taken off the shelves and those that get put onto supermarket shelves. If consumers make the conscious effort to continue showing support for related environmental protection causes, then businesses and governments see the stand that the community takes – that it does not support microbead products and processes that contribute more microplastics. From there, small changes can snowball into bigger changes that work in favour of protecting the environment.
Bibliography:
Boh, S. (2016). Singapore takes aim at microbeads in products. Retrieved 22 October 2020, from
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/singapore-takes-aim-at-microbeads-in-products
