Microplastics in food and cosmetics

Microplastic is the name given to plastic particles smaller than 5 millimetres. They enter our lives by two separate routes: particles DELIBERATELY added to cosmetics (scrub beads, certain film formers) and those that reach food ACCIDENTALLY (from packaging, from the environment, from seafood). Both worlds are going through a transition on this, and this article covers each of them calmly and with sources.

Separating the terms: microplastic, nanoplastic, microbead

News coverage often uses these three words interchangeably, yet they do not describe the same thing. Microplastic is a broad umbrella term for any plastic particle smaller than 5 millimetres; a bead you can see with the naked eye falls under it, and so does a fragment that requires a microscope. Nanoplastic refers to a far smaller scale and is technically difficult to measure, which is why the data on it is more limited. A microbead is a specific subset: a spherical plastic particle deliberately added to cosmetics and cleaning products for a scrubbing effect. There is also a distinction by origin: primary microplastics were manufactured small in the first place, while secondary ones arise as larger plastics break down under sunlight, friction and wave action. Most of the load in the environment comes from that second group.

In cosmetics: microplastics added on purpose

For years, plastic beads known as microbeads were used in scrubs and toothpastes; in some products, film formers and bulking agents that count as microplastics are still used for texture and staying power. The important development is this: the restriction prepared by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) entered into force in 2023, and deliberately added microplastics are being phased out across the EU. Rinse-off scrub beads were among the first to go, while some categories were given a transition period. Since most products sold in Türkiye follow EU legislation, that change will make its way onto shelves here in time.

What does the restriction cover, and what does it not?

The scope is the most misunderstood part of this rule. The restriction targets solid plastic particles DELIBERATELY added to a product, so it applies when a manufacturer puts plastic in bead form into a formula to perform a function. Using the same polymer in a liquid, gel or dissolved state is a different category, and the legislation does not lump the two together. Different transition periods have been granted for different categories, because in some kinds of production it takes time to find a replacement material. The practical upshot is that 'the EU has banned it' is true but incomplete; not every plastic-derived name you see on a shelf falls within the restriction, and that is a matter of how the definition works rather than a loophole.

Microplastic is not written on a label under a single name. Names of the following kind can signal a plastic-derived ingredient:

• Polyethylene (PE) and Polypropylene (PP): the classic scrub beads and texture agents.
• Nylon-12, Nylon-6: bulking agents that give a powdery feel.
• Acrylates Copolymer, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer: film formers and fixatives.
• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET): some glitters and shiny particles.

Seeing these names does not mean the product is 'bad'; some of them are used in liquid or dissolved form, and the legislation targets the particle form. Even so, for anyone who would rather not leave an environmental trace, reading the label is the first step. To see a product's ingredients quickly, you can scan its label.

Options for those who still want to exfoliate

Moving away from products with plastic beads does not mean giving up exfoliation; in fact the shelf offers better options today. For those who prefer the chemical route, salicylic acid and fruit acids dissolve lifeless surface cells without any need for rubbing. For those who like the mechanical route, ground fruit stones, rice bran, oats and cellulose-based particles are the classic alternatives. The thing to watch here is the shape of the particle: angular, hard grains can scratch the skin, so sensitive skin is more comfortable with finely rounded particles or with the chemical option. In toothpaste the scrubbing job is usually done by silica, which is not a plastic.

The two routes side by side

In food: microplastics that get in by accident

Microplastics are not added to food on purpose; they get in from the environment and from packaging. Research has found microplastic particles in seafood, table salt, bottled water and some processed foods. Heating food in plastic containers and using worn plastic kitchen equipment are also counted among the factors that can increase transfer. The amounts detected are generally very small, but because the cycle in the environment grows as plastic use grows, the subject is being tracked as a long-term public health question.

Where do the particles come from?

To understand microplastics in food you first have to look at the source in the environment, because the path to the plate begins there. The sources that come up most often in research are these:

• Large plastic waste crumbling over the years under sunlight, heat and wave action.
• Tyre wear: particles shed by vehicle tyres are carried away by road run-off.
• Washing synthetic fabrics: fibres shed in every wash end up in waste water.
• Particles coming off paints, coatings and construction materials.
• Particles passing directly into food as packaging, containers and kitchen equipment wear down.

The situation on shelves in Türkiye

Cosmetics legislation in Türkiye largely follows the EU framework, so formula changes made by global brands show up on shelves here too; the change is not instant, though, because stock already on the shelf may have been made to the old formula. Some domestic producers have used plant-based abrasives in their scrubs for a long time, while others still use plastic beads, so no single generalisation holds. On the food side the picture has more to do with packaging and distribution habits: the prevalence of plastic bottles, loose products being put into plastic containers and hot food being carried in thin plastic bags are the contact points people meet most often in daily life. If you want to rethink your packaging choices while shopping, our healthy grocery shopping guide is a practical starting point.

Where do we stand on health effects?

The honest answer is that science has not reached a clear verdict yet. The World Health Organization's assessment says that, with current data, microplastics in drinking water show no proven risk to human health, while also noting that the data is limited and that research needs to continue. So neither 'definitely harmful' nor 'definitely safe' can be claimed; measured awareness is the right stance. That uncertainty is a good reason to follow the subject without exaggerating it and without dismissing it.

Why is there still no clear answer?

The uncertainty is not down to researchers losing interest but to how genuinely hard the measurement is. First, microplastic is not a single substance: different polymers, different sizes and different surface properties all sit under one heading, and they do not behave alike. Second, because laboratories are themselves full of plastic, keeping samples free of contamination demands meticulous work, and some early studies were criticised on precisely that ground. Third, measurement methods are not yet fully standardised; what one laboratory counts as a particle another may not, which makes results hard to compare. Fourth, seeing long-term effects in people requires follow-up studies lasting years. Put those four together and what emerges is not a firm verdict but a body of evidence that keeps growing.

What can you do?

• In cosmetics: instead of a product with beads, you can choose chemical exfoliation or one with a natural abrasive such as ground fruit stones.
• Learn to spot the plastic names listed above in the ingredients; knowing how to read an ingredients list helps here too.
• In food: heat food in plastic less often, replace worn plastic containers, and choose glass and steel where you can.
• Cutting down on single-use plastic shrinks the source of the cycle, which is a gain for the environment and, in the long run, for the food chain.

The washing machine: a source that gets little attention

The entry on that list which surprises people most is usually the washing of synthetic fabrics. Garments containing polyester, acrylic and nylon shed fibres invisible to the eye with every wash, and those fibres leave the house with the waste water. What can be done here is neither expensive nor difficult: filling the machine properly and running it less often, washing at low temperatures on short programmes, and putting delicate fabrics in a mesh bag all reduce fibre loss. Beyond that, the biggest effect comes at the buying stage; a durable, long-lasting garment leaves a far smaller trace than a cheap one that pills after a few washes and gets thrown out. It is a good illustration of why this subject is not confined to the kitchen.

Common misinformation

• The line 'we swallow a credit card's worth of plastic every week' has travelled a long way, but it rests on a single modelling study and has been seriously debated in scientific circles. Repeating it as a settled measurement is not accurate.
• The belief that 'microplastic is only a marine issue' is incomplete; dust, air and land-based sources are part of the picture too.
• Saying that 'every abrasive sold as natural is environmentally friendly' is also a premature conclusion; the shape of the particle and how it is produced both matter.
• A container labelled 'BPA free' is assumed not to shed microplastics. These are two separate issues: one concerns a particular chemical, the other the physical wear of the material.
• Saying 'the restriction has arrived, so the matter is closed' is premature; the restriction covers only deliberately added particles and does not undo what has already accumulated in the environment.

Mistakes commonly made in daily life

• Putting hot food straight into a thin plastic bag or a container not rated for heat.
• Carrying on with plastic containers that are scratched, dulled and discoloured; that wear is a sign the surface integrity has gone.
• Heating food in the microwave in a container that carries no suitability marking.
• Scrubbing plastic containers with abrasive sponges and very hot water, which wears the surface down quickly.
• Choosing a product purely on a 'microplastic free' claim on the front and never turning it over to read the ingredients.

A quick thirty-second check at the shelf

• If you are buying a scrub with particles, what is the abrasive called? Is it a plant-derived grain or polyethylene?
• Are there long names beginning with 'poly' on the ingredients list, and if so, where do they sit on it?
• Is the packaging chosen for food use? The suitability mark on the base and the heat resistance information take a minute to read.
• If a glass option for water or drinks costs about the same, it is a preferable alternative in the long run.
• Note down any ingredient name you are unsure about; you can look the product up later in the ingredient library.

Who does this matter more for?

This is not a subject everyone needs to worry about to the same degree, and since the changes you can make in daily life are small and cost nothing, there is no need to overstate it either. All the same, in certain situations it carries more weight:

• Families with small children: material choice matters more for items that are heated and washed often, such as bottles, storage boxes and feeding bowls.
• Anyone who heats meals in plastic every day: switching the habit to glass or steel delivers the biggest change for the least effort.
• Anyone who cares about their environmental footprint: the cosmetics choice directly affects the load going into waste water.
• Anyone who eats seafood very frequently: broadening the variety is already a recommended approach nutritionally.
• Anyone worried about health effects: what is described here is general information, and if you have a personal concern your doctor is the right person to ask.

In short

Deliberately added microplastics in cosmetics are gradually becoming history in the EU, while in food the real issue is environmental pollution and packaging habits. There is nothing here that calls for panic, but a shopper who reads labels and keeps some distance from plastic has made a good choice both for themselves and for the environment. As you grow curious about what particular ingredients are, you can browse our ingredient library.