Eco-sparkle

Anyone who knows me knows that I am "Mrs Sparkle" I love anything that shimmers and sparkles. As a product developer the new law has hit home more so. Not just for my personal use but as a business owner I need to adhere to the laws and regulations. Also because my company ethos is to be kind to the planet and love nature and natural products and ingredients.
Of course I want pretty, shiny things. But first and foremost is the environment and knowing I am offering the best to my customers. So on that note I have been doing some firm research on all that glitters in the world and if we need it, why we need it, and can we continue to be sparkling our way after the new laws come into effect?

Why are we attracted to glitter?

Like moths to light, humans are naturally attracted to all that glitters and sparkles, but at what cost?

Is all that glitters gold?
No, all that glitters is not gold in fact it could be plastic. Like most types of plastic, glitter cannot be recycled. It never breaks down, using it again and upcycling like we all love to do is also out of the question.

What is glitter made from?

Glitter is made up of teeny tiny bits of plastic. It is made from a non-biodegradable material such as co-polymer plastic or aluminium foil. Like micro-beads that have been in the press, glitter pieces are tiny and are classified as micro-plastics as well.

Micro-plastic facts

8 million tonnes of micro-plastic ends up in our oceans every day. To put that into context for you thats the equivalent of 1 bin lorry of plastic every minute! Micro-plastic is the worst kind of plastic and accounts for approx 85% of plastic found in the environment due to its size. This means it gets ingested easily by tiny organisms. Therefore causing a huge problem with our aquatic life which in turn leads to us as we consume a lot of sea life.

Micro-plastic takes hundreds of years to degrade. They move through the food chain, starting at the bottom with oysters even being found with micro-plastic in them. Then gradually work their way up, as animals continue the food chain and eat each other.

How will I sparkle without glitter?

Do we really need glitter? The reality is no. I know I feel glitter is part of my life. But in the grand scale of things...the love of the planet and our environment which we live in must come first and be safe for us.

What are the alternatives?

Thankfully we can all continue to sparkle with a great alternative replacing plastics used in glitters with a plant-based cellulose derived from eucalyptus trees known as Bio-glitter.

Bio-glitter naturally decomposes once it enters the soil, compost or waste. It offers the same sparkle and shine, is 40% softer and is more delicate on our skin. So its a win, win for me!

How it works

In a microbe free environment, bio-glitter is completely durable and once it enters the natural environment the microbes will consume the biodegradable content turning it into carbon dioxide and water.
Bio-glitter doesn't dissolve in water. It requires bacteria and other micro-organisms to biodegrade. The speed in which it biodegrades depends greatly on the environment such as heat, moisture levels and concentration of microbes. Just like a leaf from a tree, bio-glitter will degrade faster in warm, wet conditions.

Where is it used?

Of course glitter isnt just linked into cosmetics. Its still the same principle in arts and crafts glitters, glitters we use in fabrics and clothing and for decorations to name but a few. Bio-glitter is now moving over to being used for all the above purposes which is such a positive impact for us.

Glitter micro-plastics is small in comparison to that used in vehicle tyre dust and wash fibres from man-made fibres.

Business as usual

For me, its all about moving forward and taking all the changes and alterations as a positive spin. Although I wont lie, as a small business this ban on micro-plastics has huge implications. It means that I have to make the move with all my formulations and products to ensure that they are in line with the new law which states that all products that use glitter for decoration or within them for whatever purpose or reason will not be legally allowed to sell them unless they have bio-degradable glitter used after June 2018.

So look out for this change and check that what you are buying from June is bio-degradable.
I hope that has offered some light on the buzz that is currently surrounding bio-degradable glitter and how this will impact you and our environment. Plus offering reassurance that there is alternatives in place. The results can only be ones that are positive to our oceans, our environment and our planet.

Till next time...

Love & Eco-sparkle

Caroline King Beauty Geek
Xx

www.steppingstonestrainingacademy.co.uk

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