Preconsidered Res. No. 889

Resolution calling upon the State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign A.5896/S.3932, known as the “Microbead-free Waters Act,” which would prohibit the sale of personal cosmetic products containing microbeads.

By Council Members Garodnick, Cabrera, Constantinides, Dromm, Gentile, Palma and Rosenthal

                     Whereas, Microbeads are manufactured particles of plastic that measure smaller than three millimeters in size are used in personal cosmetic products; and

                     Whereas, Microbeads are used as scrubbing agents and exfoliates in cosmetic products such as facial cleansers and toothpaste; and

                     Whereas, In normal use, microbeads are washed down drains and cannot be filtered out by wastewater treatment plants before entering marine environments in oceans and lakes; and 

                     Whereas, According to a report by the Office of the Attorney General, microbeads, like plastics generally, are slow to biodegrade and can remain in the marine environment for centuries; and

                     Whereas, In marine environments microbeads accumulate and attract harmful chemical pollutants already present in the water, such as carcinogenic polychlorinated biphenyls, commonly known as PCBs; and

                     Whereas, In marine environments the small, buoyant and colorful microbeads are mistaken for food and consumed by fish and other wildlife, thereby harming marine life and contaminating the food chain; and

                     Whereas, In 2012, a research team sailed and surveyed Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Lake Erie to quantify the degree of plastic pollution in the Great Lakes; and

                     Whereas, The researchers found an average of 43,000 microbeads per square kilometer in the Great Lakes and deduced the source to be combined sewage overflows from proximate urban population centers; and  

Whereas, There are many non-toxic, biodegradable and readily available alternatives to microbeads, such as apricot seeds, walnut husks, crushed cocoa beans and oatmeal; and

                     Whereas, Many major personal care companies, in recognition of the problem, have pledged to phase out microbeads; and

                     Whereas, Protection of the marine environment is of great interest to the well-being of New York; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York, calls upon the State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign A.5896/S.3932, known as the “Microbead-free Waters Act,” which would prohibit the sale of personal cosmetic products containing microbeads.

LUR

LS# 4280

7/27/2015