Is Glitter Good To Eat?

   Is Glitter Good to Eat?

   Many products that we need are prewrapped in plastic, eliminating our choices as to packaging. Others are not and allow us the opportunity to make better environmental choices. Glitter is one of those choices. We probably all love the sparkle and shine that it adds to product design, cards, objects, craft projects, and celebrations, but what are the long-term effects of glitter? 

    Glitter is a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic, similar to what is also used in many plastic drink bottles.  Glitter is made from tiny pieces of the PET plastic that are colored. A lot of it ends up on the ground and eventually in the oceans and lakes. Wastewater treatment plants are not capable of removing these small pieces (especially as they break down further in the water). Most of the tiny pieces along with plastic microbeads end up in sludge that sinks to the bottom during the water purification process or remains in the water after cleaning. This sludge is applied to farm fields for fertilizer. The small pieces of plastic are washed back into the streams, lakes, rivers, and oceans. Other pieces that littered the ground are washed by the rain back into the water system.

    Why does this matter? It matters because the sea animals that clean the water like oysters and certain fish ingest the glitter. It can block their digestive system and cause them to starve to death. It also matters because we end up eating these tiny pieces when we ingest these animals or their predators and consume them in drinking water. 

    There is a way to help with this problem. By choosing not to buy things that have glitter or not using glitter we can each help in our own way to improve our precious earth’s environment.   

    You may already know about the controversy of BPA-containing plastics. Bisphenol A (BPA), glitter and other plastics are not part of a healthy diet and may negatively affect our endocrine system. Research is ongoing, but you can read more from the University of Central Florida at https://www.ucf.edu/news/all-that-glitters-could-be-unhealthy/

    Do you have suggestions to share on ways to help earth?  Help us to build a collection of ideas for being good stewards of the earth.  Send me your suggestions at jackiewoh2@yahoo.com.