Microbeads became a national issue a few years ago. Microbeads or microplastics are particles less than 5 mm in their longest dimension and are often smaller, down to 0.335 mm. They are currently common in many beauty and cleaning products. There are over 100 products sold in the U.S. containing mircobeads, including toothpaste, sunscreen, shampoo, soap, lip gloss and moisturizers. Microbeads are typically manufactured using polyethylene. Polyethylene is known for its reluctance to biodegrade and its ability to absorb persistent organic pollutants, which also do not degrade.On Dec. 28, 2015, President Obama signed a bipartisan bill that prohibits selling and distributing products containing
