NSW EPA Fines Coles, Natio for Banned Products
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* Microplastics in the Brain: A recent US study found microplastics make up 0.5% of the average weight of human brain samples, and levels have increased by 50% since 2016.
* Plastic in Skincare & Waterways: the EPA (Environmental Protection Authority) believes plastic products shouldn’t be in skincare or waterways.
* “Bioplastics” are Still Plastic: Even “bioplastics” like polylactic acid (PLA) and cellulose acetate are still considered plastic under the Plastic Reduction and circular Economy Act because they don’t readily break down in the habitat.
* Company Response: Companies quickly removed products containing these plastics from shelves after being notified.
* NSW Ban: New South Wales (NSW) banned plastic microbeads in rinse-off personal care products starting November 1, 2022.
* Water Treatment Ineffectiveness: Water treatment systems cannot effectively filter out these microscopic plastic particles, leading to environmental contamination.
The image caption shows microplastics captured in kidney, liver, and brain samples.