President Obama Signs Law Banning Microbeads
WASHINGTON (AP/WWJ) - President Barack Obama has signed into law a measure pushed by Michigan Congressman Fred Upton to ban microbeads.
The tiny plastic particles, used as an abrasive in many personal-care and beauty products, such as facial scrubs, soaps and toothpastes, do not dissolve and can persist in the environment for decades — wreaking havoc on waterways.
In the Great Lakes, high levels of microbeads have been found. Scientists say they can absorb pollutants that may wind up in the fish that ends up on the dinner table.
"The Great Lakes have survived many a foe — severe pollution, oil spills, discharge from refineries, zebra mussels and attempts to steal our water, just to name a few," said Upton, a Republican . "We are going to fight any activity that puts our beloved Great Lakes in jeopardy."
The Senate on Dec. 18 passed the bill by voice vote, and the House passed it earlier this month.
The federal legislation would prohibit the manufacture of products containing plastic microbeads as of July 1, 2017, and phase out over-the-counter sales of the product over the next two years.
The federal law would take precedence over state laws that are starting to phase out microbeads over similar concerns.
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