Campaign group calls for glitter ban in the UK
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- Sarah Shaffi
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The plastic-free battle is set to tackle glitter.
Glitter, glitter, glitter everywhere.
That’s not an exaggeration. As anyone who’s ever even breathed near the stuff knows, it has a habit of taking over, and turning up days after you think you’ve got rid of every last piece.
Although it may look pretty, glitter causes harm to the environment. That’s why 61 festivals have already signed up to banning it and other single-use plastic by 2021.
Now, a campaign group has gone further, calling for the complete ban of plastic glitter and lustre from the UK.
38 Degrees has launched a petition appealing to Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to enact the ban.
Speaking to the Guardian, David Innes from 38 Degrees said: “Glitter might look lovely but, because it’s plastic, it sticks around long after the sparkle has gone – often in the stomachs of fish and birds.”
The petition says: “We have no idea what long term effects micro-plastic will have on us, our children or the other animals and plants that share our planet. This is a very disturbing thought. Next time you eat something, what will you think?”
Biodegradable glitter is the way forward
The petition has already got more than 1,500 of its aimed-for 2,000 signatures.
Glitter fans need not fear though, there are plenty of environmentally friendly brands of glitter, which are biodegradable, so a glitter ban doesn’t mean we’ll all sparkle less.
Images: Getty