THE LAW BANNING MICROPLASTICS IN RINSE-OFF COSMETICS
A Marevivo victory that stems from the campaign Monster Sea: A Sea of Plastic
After a meeting in Washington in October 2015 with John F. Calvelli, president of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), who asked us to support the law banning microplastics in cosmetics in the United States, which then became federal law thanks to President Obama, we decided to propose it in Italy as well.
2016
In 2016, we launched the campaign ‘Mare Mostro: a sea of plastic’, created to inform and raise awareness of the impact of plastic in the sea, carried out in collaboration with the Italian Navy and CoNISMa and launched on board the school ship Amerigo Vespucci
2017
In 2017, in collaboration with associations, politicians and the scientific community, we urged and contributed to the presentation of a bill calling for a ban on microplastics in cosmetics.
2020
Once again, Italy has shown itself to be at the forefront in protecting the sea: as of 1 January 2020, the ban on marketing cosmetic rinsing products with an exfoliating or cleansing action containing microplastics came into force, as set out in Article 1, Paragraph 546 of the 2018 Budget Law
Ban in force as of 1 January 2020
Many of the cosmetics we use every day contain microplastics that can be harmful because, with rinsing, they are dispersed into the environment and end up in the sea, damaging the marine ecosystem and becoming food for the fish on which we feed ourselves. From 1 January 2020 in Italy, thanks also to the efforts of Marevivo and the support of other environmental associations, this will no longer be possible, as provided for by the 2018 Budget Law that bans the use of microplastics in rinse-off cosmetics.
This is particularly significant for Italy, where approximately 60 per cent of the world’s make-up is produced. The law provides for a ban on “marketing cosmetic rinse-off products with exfoliating or cleansing action containing microplastics”. The amendment, therefore, does not cover all cosmetic products: this is why it is essential to continue to raise awareness and promote conscious consumption, so that products still on the market that contain microplastics are identified and avoided.
The victory of 7 environmental associations united against microplastic pollution
Marevivo is committed nationally and internationally to the defence of the sea. Support our actions. The sea needs you.
© Marcello Di Francesco
