California to phase out microbeads in personal care products

California Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday signed legislation requiring the state to phase out the use of microscopic beads in personal care products by 2020 to protect fish and other wildlife.

Previous versions of the ban passed the Assembly but failed in the Senate. Republicans say late amendments to the measure prompted many business critics to drop their opposition to California joining several other states in eliminating the use of so-called microbeads. Consumer goods companies that produce soaps and shampoos like Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble had opposed the legislation, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Assemblyman Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica, who authored the bill, called it a step toward preserving environmental integrity.

“Today, California steps forward to lead the nation in environmental protection by banning this pervasive source of plastic pollution,” Bloom said in a statement.

“While other states have passed similar regulations, [the California legislation] was carefully crafted to avoid any loopholes that would allow for use of potentially harmful substitutes. This legislation ensures that personal care products will be formulated with environmentally-safe alternatives to protect our waterways and oceans,” Bloom added.

The exfoliating beads found in soap, toothpaste and body washes are so small that they are showing up in the bodies of fish and other wildlife after passing through water filtration systems without disintegrating.

“Tuna and swordfish are being found with microplastics in their stomachs," Sue Vang, a policy analyst with advocacy group Californians Against Waste, told Al Jazeera earlier this year, amid mounting efforts to pass the legislation.

A number of companies are replacing microbeads with natural substances such as ground-up fruit pits.

Al Jazeera and The Associated Press