Microbeads are tiny pieces of plastic that are added to everyday cosmetic products such as face wash, toothpaste, abrasive cleaners and lots more. They are small enough to go down your plughole and easily pass water filtration systems. Some 100,000 microbeads are washed down the sink with a single application of some products, ending up in the sea and the food chain. New scientific research is continuing to find more and more examples of plastic inside all kinds of sea life. And it’s not just marine life, these microbeads are showing up in the stomachs of birds as well. Microbeads end up in humans through eating seafood that has ingested microplastics and the toxins that come with them. Banning the use of these is cause for celebration. A big ‘thank you” to the Environmental Defence Organization for its lobbying persistence on all our behalf.
My Christmas present this year is our Top Story: the announcement that the ELPH awards will be introduced at CAPDM's Executive Conference in January 2017. You will see more information in the months to come, but for now, I get a little shiver of joy knowing that the ELPH's will soon be coming to life!!!
To all our readers thank you for your support and feedback throughout the past year. Happy Holidays from all of us to you and your loved ones. See you in the new year!
Lisa James
