Ocean Plastic: The Beauty Industry is Stepping Up
There is no question that we have a major issue with ocean plastic. And the cosmetics industry. According to statistics, the worldwide cosmetics sector produces 120 billion units of packaging each year, which is bulked up by the use of sophisticated lids, multi-layered boxes, and cellophane, much of which is wasteful, non-recyclable, and ends up in our landfills and oceans.
Prior to the epidemic, it was estimated that 11 million tonnes of plastic were entering our oceans each year. According to the UN, if we continue to use plastics as we do now, there will be more plastic than marine life in our oceans by year 2050. However, Covid 19 resulted in an additional 25,000 tonnes of plastic entering our waterways via PPE and online shopping.
Our Future
Data show that, despite greater public awareness and actions, we are still not doing nearly enough to address the problem. Plastic entering our seas is expected to nearly triple by 2040 to 29 million metric tons per year unless immediate and sustained action is taken.
As it is, there is already so much plastic in the sea that we can see it from space, and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration study showed that some sections of the ocean contain seven times more plastic particles than fish.
According to the Environmental Investigation Agency, over 633 marine species are currently documented to be harmed by the plastic problem. Toxic microplastics are ingested by sea mammals such as dolphins, whales, and seals, increasing their chances of disease and mortality and affecting reproduction, while larger plastics are responsible for choking our aquatic life.
Diminishing fish population
According to some studies, it also affects corals that are entangled in plastic, which are up to 90% more likely to contract a disease and perish. And it has unanticipated consequences for our male fish population. A UK expert discovered that pollutants in our rivers, especially plastic, are changing the gender of the fish, with some exhibiting “feminized traits” such as lower sperm quality and less aggressive behavior, making them less likely to mate successfully. Some are even laying eggs.
Plastics we are tossing are already in our digestive system
It’s a problem that’s working its way up the food chain. Anchovies have been observed to absorb microplastics (which smell like food to them), and they are eaten by larger fish, which are subsequently devoured by us, implying that we are contaminating both our oceans and our own bodies.
More needs to be done to address the problem. So, who are the key culprits? Wet wipes, along with plastic packaging, are among the worst offenders. Water UK discovered that wet wipes, which frequently include polypropylene, a plastic that does not disintegrate, accounted for more than 90% of the material causing sewage blockages. And river cleaning crews in London discovered that flushing hundreds of thousands of wipes down the toilet actually produced a new river bed in the Thames – a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly common in rivers throughout the world. With an estimated 1,102,822,000 wet wipes used in the UK each year, it’s evident that there’s a massive problem to solve.
But there is a sea change afoot. According to GlobalWebIndex research, the Attenborough effect, fueled by national hero David Attenborough’s efforts to educate the public, has resulted in a 53% decrease in single-use plastic from customers, with 82% now considering products with sustainable packaging more vital than ever.
So, what should be done? To begin, we must channel our dismay into concrete action. Despite the growing number of people who wish to help, just 50% of Brits recycle their toilet waste (compared to 90% of kitchen waste recycled) because it is inconvenient. Every autonomous action we take to educate ourselves and make wise decisions has a significant effect over time. Including a recycling bin in your bathroom is a significant extra step.
Microbeads
Political action is critical for widespread transformation. The government has already taken conservative moves by banning microbeads in 2018, and a similar ban on plastic-stemmed cotton buds will go into effect in October 2020. “These items are frequently used for only a few minutes but take hundreds of years to degrade,” the government stated of the decision to address the 1.8 billion plastic-stemmed cotton buds used by Britons each year. It may not seem substantial, but without government action, there is nothing to compel firms and consumers to abandon old behaviors in favor of new, more sustainable ones. Of course, there is still a lot to be done. “We’re calling on the UK government to set new legally-binding targets to radically reduce single-use plastic products and to establish an independent watchdog to enforce these targets,” says Fiona Nicholls, Greenpeace’s Plastic Campaigner.
The Impact of the Beauty Industry
Change must be implemented by large corporations as well. So many positive measures have already been taken. “The beauty industry was the first to respond to the public outcry over unwanted microbeads in beauty products, and many brands voluntarily phased them out before the UK Government ban went into effect,” Nicholls adds. “Now, the industry has an even greater way to reduce its plastic footprint by offering reusable/refillable packaging alternatives, or ‘going naked’ with their products, as some brands have chosen to do.” Recycling, while a step in the right direction, is just insufficient. “It has become clear that we cannot recycle our way out of this mess: we simply do not have the facilities in the UK, and countries like Malaysia are beginning to send back our recycled plastics because they simply cannot handle it all.” Instead, brands that seek to repurpose existing resources are making a significant difference.
How Does Bright Concept Solutions make a difference?
We make anhydrous personal, pet, and household care products with upcycled components. We employ Ocean Plastic components and offer refills for every product we create.
We carefully select ingredients that are safe for the environment and, thus, for all life on Earth.
We do not use any unnecessary packaging which has no functions, which will help consumers’ wallets and alleviate traffic to our wasteland.