Glitter is probably one of the favorite items used by people who enjoy arts and crafts, and is widely used in producing decorations, cards, cosmetics, and sometimes even in our clothes. However, if you care about the environment, you might want to start going glitter-free, as this product appears to be extremely harmful for the oceans.
Glitter can easily end up in the stomachs of the fish
Glitter is a microplastic, which means it’s made of all kinds of materials which are bad for the environment. Among the many ingredients used to produce the shiny decoration, there is aluminum and PET. Aluminum might be found naturally in nature, but PET contains dozens of harmful chemicals which can affect both humans and animals.
An analysis performed on fish revealed that more than half of those caught for commercial purposes had consumed plastics. Some pollutants are big, so fish cannot always eat them. However, the small shiny particles can easily end up in their digestive systems, and its appealing looks might attract the creatures.
Turning to recyclable glitter is also an option
All shiny particles present in our cosmetics or on our Christmas decorations are dangerous for the environment. They can easily get on our skin, meaning that they end up down the drain. From there and ending up dumped in the ocean is a small step.
However, if you cannot lay off glitter, there’s still a solution. Some companies thought it would be a pity to ruin our favorite shiny products, so they created a biodegradable version of the bright particles. If you want to change something, the first step is to start buying eco-friendly DIY tools when you manufacture your own shiny stuff.
This might not be enough, so a group of researchers and environmentalists are trying to convince the companies to use non-plastic glitter. They are even going to ask the government for help, and make everyone be more careful with the products they use and what they contain.
Image Source: PxHere
