Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015

You know those little plastic microbeads (also called nurdles) that a lot of soaps have as exfoliators? Well, they’re a nigtmare on the environment. They pile up in oceans, and they resemble things that a lot of animals like to eat (like fish eggs), which means that we end up with a bunch of animals with a stomach full of plastic. The good news is that they’re going to be illegal. President Obama signed the “Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015″ at the end of December. The bad news is that companies can keep selling their mircobead soaps until 2017 (that’s when the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 law actually goes into effect). So in the meantime, make sure you’re not buying anything with plastic microbeads. If you want an exfoliating soap, look for one that uses a natural exfoliator like walnut shells. You can also use sugar or baking soda!