Here's Why the US Government Suddenly Banned a Bunch of Soaps, Bodywashes, and Toothpastes

Yahoo! ^ | January 2, 2016 | Erin Brodwin

[goodwithagun]

President Obama approved a bill on Monday banning soaps, toothpastes, and bodywashes that contain a harmful ingredient. That ingredient is microbeads — tiny, nearly impossible-to-dissolve plastic particles that enter water streams by the billions. The beads are typically found in cleansing products because they can be used as tiny scrubbers, helping to wipe away oil and dirt from the skin or teeth.

[goodwithagun]

For the record, my family doesn’t use these products. It’s just another example of obama tackling an issue that needs tackled after, say, muslim terrorism.

[EvilCapitalist]

Who needs microbeads? I like to use Lava soap. It takes off the dirt, and the skin it’s attached to.

[EvilCapitalist]

GMTA. You beat me by 32 seconds.

[Aliska]

Crest Pro Health toothpaste.

I read anything that contains polyethylene or polypropylene are red flags.

Miralax contains polyethylene glycol.

There must be a whole lot more that aren't on the "cosmetic scrub" list. Johnson & Johnson has a lot or products.

[goodwithagun]

My absolute, most favorite movie of all time. You win inner webs today!

[Paladin2]

All GOOD STUFF^TM listed there....

[UnwashedPeasant]

"Why don't they use something that is biodegradable instead of the plastic beads?"

That would cost 2 cents extra.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

A recent study found as many as 1.7 million of the tiny particles per square kilometer in the Great Lakes region's Lake Erie...

There are 10,000,000,000 square centimeters in a square kilometer, which means there are about 17 particles per 10,000 square centimeters, which is 17 particles per square meter.

I suspect their units are wrong, but if they aren't, then this really isn't that big of a deal.

[Paladin2]

Migration of a class of wenches?

[FoxInSocks]

A recent study found as many as 1.7 million of the tiny particles per square kilometer in the Great Lakes region's Lake Erie

Actually, the source quoted by Yahoo! said it was up to 1.7 million per square mile, which is quite a bit different. Also, you can read just how much this legislation is based on speculation.

But by all means let's scream that the sky is falling and restrict free trade. There's probably lead in the water, too, so the government should ban the manufacture of ammunition while they're at it.

[lump in the melting pot]

Can we ban leaf blowers too?

Do you not appreciate the melodious drone of the Mexican bagpipe? Racist gringo...

[John W]

So THIS required a law as passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate and signed by the president? Amazing he couldn’t just stroke of pen this.

[Paladin2]

Well, there is CO2 in the air.

Time to make the peeps stop breathing....

[nopardons]

But isn’t that “microagression” ?

[Larry Lucido]

I bring microbeads to New Orleans. I have a thing for micro boobs.

[longtermmemmory]

but they can’t ban the use of sawdust in food?

[stars & stripes forever]

[How is an ingested microbead different from an ingested grain of sand?]

I’ll never use ANY toothpaste with microbeads. It can do a number on your gums.

[a fool in paradise]

Next President Obama (D-IS) will be banning this:

[EvilCapitalist]

And you can drive MicroMachines.

[FoxInSocks]

Yeah, Yahoo! is wrong. It's 1.7 million per square mile, according to the referenced Scientific American article. It's far more dilute than 17:10,000 cm².