I’m a Marine Biologist—Here Are 28 Shocking Things I’ve Found in Ocean Plastic

2. Microbeads from Cosmetics

Among the ocean’s tiniest plastic offenders are microbeads—microscopic spheres found in facial scrubs and toothpaste. These particles easily slip through water treatment systems and end up in our waterways, where they accumulate rapidly. Once in the ocean, microbeads are consumed by plankton and small fish, infiltrating the entire food chain.
Learn more about how microbeads pollute even the Great Lakes in this Scientific American article.