In 2011, Plastic Soup Foundation was founded by Maria Westerbos. Since then, the foundation has worked to raise awareness about plastic, put the plastic problem on politicians' agendas, and made a significant contribution to reducing plastic soup. But we're far from done, says Jeroen Dagevos, Head of Programs at Plastic Soup Foundation. "The problem has been underestimated for a long time and turns out to be much worse than anyone thought". We spoke with him, because what about microplastics, and why are they so dangerous? And what are the expectations for the future, can we solve the plastic problem?
When Maria Westerbos had to research problems that couldn't (yet) be solved for a TV program in 2011, she heard about plastic soup for the first time. Completely unfamiliar with the subject, she got into conversation with Charles Moore, the discoverer of plastic soup. He indicated that Europe is the place to establish a foundation aimed at reducing this problem. In Europe, a difference can be made worldwide. And so Plastic Soup Foundation was born.
In 2012, the foundation launched its first campaign: Beat The Microbead. A campaign specifically aimed at microplastics. Because that ocean and that plastic, yes that's terrible, but for most people it's also far away. That's why attention needed to be drawn to problems that have a direct impact on everyone and suddenly bring that pollution much closer to home. Plastic in cosmetics, that's how the general public got to know Plastic Soup Foundation. At the start of the campaign, the focus was on toothpaste—it's in your mouth, so you can't get closer than that. And the change was recent, because microplastics definitely weren't always in it. "At home I had two tubes of toothpaste from the same brand, where one tube contained salt and the other polyethylene. So it was a very recent addition," says Jeroen. And that woke other people up too, because they suddenly realized that it's very strange that plastic is being added to something you put in your mouth.
An app also came out of this, which makes it easier for consumers to recognize microplastics in cosmetics. "The app is really used as a reference and is incredibly successful. Unilever was one of the first big names that also removed the scrubbing particles from their products because of it. And whenever we receive a complaint, it's often because the app shows that there are microplastics in a product. The manufacturer is obviously not always happy about that, but yes, it's in there, so do something about it."
Microplastics and Regulation
The addition of microplastics is very recent. Bizarre, but legally speaking it was allowed. Why microplastics were suddenly added to cosmetics? A grain of plastic is much cheaper than a grain of salt or sand that needs to be cleaned. And besides, you can also give that piece of plastic all kinds of nice colors and shapes. Innovation and cost savings were thus the biggest reasons behind the change. A lot of money was invested in the development of microplastics, but just over 10 years later, in 2023, a ban came into effect. Although companies still have time to phase it out, and there are still plenty of microplastics that weren't included in the ban. It's certainly a nice step in the right direction!
"In Europe, we now have a good system for chemicals: REACH. A product is only brought to market after a number of questions are asked. Think about: is it biodegradable, is it toxic, are there alternatives? This used to be different. Back then, products were brought to market and only afterwards was it checked if there was damage. That's why it sometimes took 30 years before a certain substance was banned." So we've come a long way, but unfortunately polymers were excluded from the list of 'hazardous substances' because they are stable. Plastic also wasn't a problem at all twenty years ago, or at least, wasn't seen as one. Because of that, regulations weren't strict. Meanwhile, there is a ban on microplastics, but there are exceptions to this as well, Jeroen explains. "The ban on microplastics only applies to solid particles, a strange exception to the rules if you ask me. All liquid polymers are therefore not banned, because they are not classified as microplastics. Yet there are also a lot of bad ingredients among these, for example Polyvinyl Alcohol. This substance is liquid in the tube, but it leaves a plastic layer on the skin. So it's not seen as microplastic, but it's definitely plastic and has a major effect on the skin."
Not Without Danger
More is becoming known about the effects of microplastics. For example, microplastics have now been found in the placentas of pregnant women, they are linked to heart attacks and strokes, and microplastics have also been found in cancer cells. "At the Global Plastic Treaty (INC4) negotiations in Ottawa in April, we presented a study together with German physician Lukas Kenner on the relationship between nanoplastics and the growth and spread of cancer that he discovered. He's really worried about this and is seeing things he didn't expect. His biggest concerns stem from the fact that the amount of micro- and nanoplastics in our environment and our bodies will only increase, because we're using more and more plastic."
The effects of these tiny pieces of plastic are quite significant. "The point is: plastic doesn't just break down, it just gets smaller. This applies to all plastic. Through wear and tear, like with clothing, microplastics are released. You eat and drink them or just breathe them in and that's how they end up in our bodies." Currently, almost 500 million tons of plastic are produced annually. It's expected that this will at least double in the next 20 years, but maybe even triple. And that's concerning. Not everything is bad, Jeroen says, it's mainly about applications used for single-use packaging materials, like plastic bottles and clothing that breaks after wearing it three times. "We need to do something about the throwaway culture. That way you not only tackle microplastics, but also save a lot of raw materials."
Changing Policy
A small organization against a big industry, that's Plastic Soup Foundation. Although it took some effort at the beginning to get the problem on the political agenda, the foundation started at exactly the right time to talk about plastic soup. The problem was already being raised during their maiden speeches by several politicians. "The plastic problem grew in a short time from a non-issue to very important. Through open communication with consumers, it increasingly became a concern for them too. And by making it so personal (microplastics in cosmetics), it resonated even better. We shed light on gaps in legislation and were able to easily refute companies' arguments with our own research. And so we were increasingly well received and change slowly came about."
But it remains difficult. "Policymakers don't want to just destroy the entire cosmetics industry, there are a lot of jobs at stake. Lobbyists play well on this uncertainty. But through zero plastic brands, and there are already 160 of them, we can show that shampoo can also be made without microplastics. Of course, you can't just change a system and time is needed to build a new system, but fortunately there are more and more new companies that are doing it right from the start." Now that it's becoming increasingly clear that microplastics are in our organs and in our blood, and that it has negative effects there too, it's becoming increasingly important to solve the problem. And fortunately, more and more companies are realizing this and are working on systemic change.
A Problem Without a Solution
Fortunately, good steps are being taken. Stricter policies are coming and more and more companies are committed to changing the industry. But for the consumer it remains difficult at the moment. Microplastics are hidden behind difficult words on the ingredient list and there's still no complete transparency. And in the supermarket you can barely avoid it: plastic is everywhere. "You do see that there's movement now, however slow it may be. Vegetables and fruit are increasingly less often packaged in plastic. I really think the supermarket will look very different in 10 years." But messages still come out that even surprise Jeroen. "That there are an average of 240 thousand nanoplastics in a liter bottle of water, well then you realize that the problem is so much worse than expected."
Change lies with companies, but as a consumer you can do little, except make the conscious choice for brands that are microplastic-free. A WWF survey showed that 80% of consumers want an alternative. And that helps! If people want change, companies will have to follow suit.
Do you need help avoiding microplastics? Then download the Beat The Microbead app from Plastic Soup Foundation. With this you can scan all your cosmetics and immediately know what's in them. That's transparent!
