[Pharmwaste] RE: Microbead ban -- references

Ed Gottlieb EGottlieb at cityofithaca.org
Mon Jan 4 16:27:16 EST 2016


Forgot to include references for microplastics removal rates:

Scientific Evidence Supports a Ban on Microbeads
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/acs.est.5b03909

Water collected by WWTPs goes through several treatment processes.  As part of these processes, wastewater is sent to settling tanks to separate suspended solids (sludge) from the liquid phase (effluent). Here, 95−99.9% of the microbeads may settle out into the sludge, leaving the remaining beads in the effluent. 1, 2

(1) Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission HELCOM.
BASE Project Implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan in Russia,
Technical Report Published for IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, August 2014;
Swedish Environmental Research Institute: Stockholm, Sweden, 2014.
(2) Magnusson, K.; Wahlberg, C. Screening of Microplastic Particles in and down-Stream of a Wastewater Treatment Plant, Technical Report published for IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, August 2014; Swedish Environmental Research Institute: Stockholm, Sweden, 2014.

Ed Gottlieb
Chair, Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal
Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator
Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility
525 3rd Street
Ithaca, NY  14850
(607) 273-8381
fax: (607) 273-8433
________________________________
From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us [pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] on behalf of Ed Gottlieb [EGottlieb at cityofithaca.org]
Sent: Monday, January 04, 2016 1:36 PM
To: DeBiasi, Deborah (DEQ); (pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us)
Subject: [Pharmwaste] RE: Microbead ban -- details

After many states passed "greenwash" bans of plastic microbeads in personal care products, this federal law is a major victory.  It will significantly reduce the amount of plastic microbeads that enter the aquatic ecosystem.  You may be interested to know some details of the ban.

The ban covers "wash off" cosmetics.  At first, I was very concerned to learn that the FDA does not consider soap a cosmetic.  It was a tremendous relief to learn that almost all products sold as "soap" contain ingredients or are marketed in such a way that the FDA defines them as cosmetics.  The ban does not cover make-up, which is not intended to be washed off.

The ban includes a preemption clause.  Any local or state law that overlaps products covered by the federal ban are void.  I don't know of any local or state microbead ban written to allow some portions to remain in force if other sections are preempted.  Local and state governments are free to write new microbead bans that cover "non-wash off" personal care products.

Though the laws definition of microbeads apparently does not include those added for visual appeal*, I was told by legislative aides of the bills sponsors (both House and Senate), that the intent of the law is to ban all beads from covered products.  It was their opinion that it is highly unlikely that any manufacturer will continue to use plastic microbeads for visual appeal.  A number of environmental groups involved in this issue share this optimistic opinion.  I hope they are correct.
* From page one of the law (my highlight):
15 ‘‘(A) the term ‘plastic microbead’ means any
16 solid plastic particle that is less than five millimeters
17 in size and is intended to be used to exfoliate or
18 cleanse the human body or any part thereof; and
The use of, “and is” rather than, "including those" in line 17 seems to me to exclude beads that are added for visual appeal.  Roughly ten percent of the plastic microbeads found in wastewater effluent are round and colored and were likely added for visual appeal rather than to exfoliate or cleanse.
I want to take this opportunity to correct inaccurate statements I made in a NACWA microbead blog post and TPO interview on microbeads.  Since very large quantities of microplastics (microbeads + small pieces of other plastic products) are found in POTW effluent, I incorrectly assumed that most microplastics were passing through our plants.  That made sense to me since they are very small and have densities close to that of water.  However, a few studies have found that POTW's actually capture approximately 95% of the microplastics that enter the treatment system.  High effluent numbers + high capture efficiency =  very, very high influent quantities!  The new federal ban will be a tremendous help.

Ed Gottlieb
Chair, Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal
Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator
Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility
525 3rd Street
Ithaca, NY  14850
(607) 273-8381
fax: (607) 273-8433
________________________________
From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us [pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] on behalf of DeBiasi, Deborah (DEQ) [Deborah.DeBiasi at deq.virginia.gov]
Sent: Monday, January 04, 2016 11:23 AM
To: (pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us)
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Microbead ban signed by President Obama

http://cnnphilippines.com/lifestyle/2016/01/02/miccrobead-ban-signed-by-us-president-barack-obama.html

Microbead ban signed by President Obama
By Jareen Imam, CNN
Updated 15:19 PM PHT Sat, January 2, 2016
[http://cnnphilippines.com/incoming/atbi1w-Microbeads_CNNPH.png/alternates/FREE_768/Microbeads_CNNPH.png]
The tiny plastic microbeads found in your exfoliating shower gel are now outlawed in the United States.
Highlights

  *   President Obama signs a bill banning an ingredient in exfoliating shower gels
  *   Microbeads are tiny particles of plastic that do not dissolve
(CNN) — Say goodbye to your exfoliating shower gel.
Those tiny plastic microbeads you have been rubbing on your face are now outlawed in the United States.
President Obama<https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/12/28/statement-press-secretary-hr-1321-s-2425> signed a bipartisan bill that prohibits selling and distributing products containing microbeads. The bill is intended to protect the nation's waterways<https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr1321>.
A microbead is any solid plastic particle that is less than 5 millimeters and is used for the purpose of exfoliating or cleansing, according to the bill.
These tiny plastic beads have become ubiquitous in hundreds of products ranging from body scrubs to toothpastes<http://edition.cnn.com/2015/09/19/us/8-trillion-microbeads-pollute-water-daily-irpt/>. They provide an exfoliating sensation for users and are designed to wash down drains.
But because they are made of plastic, microbeads do not dissolve and may pose a threat to the environment.
In September, a study published in Environmental Science & Technology<http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/acs.est.5b03909> reported that more than 8 trillion microbeads were entering the country's aquatic habitats daily. The volume was enough to coat the surface of 300 tennis courts every day.
Microbeads have contributed to a greater increase in microplastic polluting the planet's oceans and lakes, researchers say.
Not only are they hard to clean up because they are about the size of a pinhead, researchers say they are also posing a threat to aquatic life.
Some marine life mistake small plastic as food particles. Scientists are researching whether microplastics affect the health of marine life once ingested and if chemicals transfer to humans who eat those species later, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration<http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/types-and-sources-solutions/states-consider-plastic-microbead-bans>.
This story was first published on CNN.com, "Microbead ban signed by President Obama<http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/30/health/obama-bans-microbeads/index.html?sr=fbCNN123115obama-bans-microbeads/0926PMStoryLink&linkId=20021370>."

Deborah L. DeBiasi
Email:   Deborah.DeBiasi at deq.virginia.gov<mailto:Deborah.DeBiasi at deq.virginia.gov>
WEB site address:  www.deq.virginia.gov<http://www.deq.virginia.gov/>
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Office of Water Permits
Industrial Pretreatment/Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Program
PPCPs, EDCs, and Microconstituents
http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/PermittingCompliance/PollutionDischargeElimination/Microconstituents.aspx
Mail:          P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA  23218
Location:  629 E. Main Street, Richmond, VA  23219
PH:         804-698-4028      FAX:      804-698-4032

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