All that glitters is not gold, especially for Mother Earth because, as it turns out, even the biodegradable versions of glitter cause serious damage to rivers and lakes.
Glitter is everywhere and has already polluted the Earth’s waters. Scientists previously called for governments to ban glitter’s production because of its impact on oceans, but a new study finds rivers and lakes are just as vulnerable.
Making glitter involves using a plastic core which is then coated with aluminum and sealed with more plastic. Biodegradable alternatives use a core of modified regenerated cellulose from eucalyptus trees, but the glitters still have an aluminum coating and are covered in plastic.
Duckweed — an important food source for fish and birds— was the subject of a study that showed that regular glitter found in freshwater sources cut the growth of common duckweed in half within 36 days. In addition, levels of chlorophyll in the rivers and lakes was also three times lower than in clean water sources. The supposedly safe biodegradable glitters had the same impact on duckweed root length and chlorophyll levels.
Source: Study Finds October 17, 2020