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Why are tiny, exfoliating microbeads so bad for US waterways?
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Jan 31, 2014
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Why are tiny, exfoliating microbeads so bad for US waterways?
Your face wash or body soap may contain microbeads — tiny balls of plastic designed to help exfoliate your body. These microbeads are clogging up waterways like the LA River, acting as a sponge and vehicle for dangerous chemicals as they go.
Microscopic view of microbeads.
Microscopic view of microbeads.
(
Wikipedia Commons
)

Your face wash or body soap may contain microbeads — tiny balls of plastic designed to help exfoliate your body. These microbeads are clogging up waterways like the LA River, acting as a sponge and vehicle for dangerous chemicals as they go.

Your face wash or body soap may contain microbeads — tiny balls of plastic designed to help exfoliate your body. These microbeads are clogging up waterways like the LA River, acting as a sponge and vehicle for dangerous chemicals as they go.

Scientist Marcus Eriksen joins the show to explain about how these tiny beads are polluting waterways.