Amber Lamoreaux / Pexels
British supermarket Waitrose announced Friday that it will ban glitter from its own-brand products by Christmas 2020.
The upscale retailer said its labels, wrap, flowers, plants and other single-use items will either be glitter-free or use an environmentally friendly alternative.
<p>
While glitter can certainly make something look more festive, these shiny bits are mostly made of non-recyclable <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastics" target="_self">plastics</a>. When it sheds off, glitter acts like any other <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/microplastics" target="_self">microplastic</a> that pollutes the environment and our <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/oceans" target="_self">waterways</a> and never breaks down. They can also be mistakenly eaten by marine animals and eventually move up the food chain to our own plates.
</p><p>
<span></span>"Reducing the impact of plastics on the environment is something our customers care passionately about," Tor Harris of Waitrose & Partners said in the company's announcement. "While it's important to eliminate the use of glitter, we'll find other ways to make sure our products sparkle at Christmas and throughout the year."
</p><p>
<span></span>Instead of glitter, the retailer will use more vibrant foliage in its cut flowers and utilize new designs for its stationery, according to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/dec/14/waitrose-ban-glitter-own-brand-products-2020?CMP=fb_gu" target="_blank">Guardian</a>.
</p><p>
<span></span>Waitrose noted that its initiative followed efforts from BBC One's <em>Strictly Come Dancing,</em> which banned the use of traditional glitter on the television show. A number of nursery schools and music festivals in the UK have also done the same.
</p><p>
<span></span>Waitrose is the first major retailer to say it will ban glitter, <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/12/14/waitrose-ban-glitter-2020-environmental-concerns/" target="_blank">The Telegraph</a> reported. Other UK brands such as Paperchase, Next, Debenhams, John Lewis, M&S and Sainsbury's have made efforts to reduce glitter in Christmas items this year due to environmental concerns.
</p><p>There are about 350 Waitrose stores in the UK, including supermarket and convenience store formats, according to <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/420263/waitrose-store-numbers-united-kingdom-uk/" target="_blank">Statista</a>. </p><p>
The company said it has already cut back on glitter use this year—three-quarters of its own label cards, wraps, crackers and tags along with half of its flowers and plants were glitter-free.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="11a94" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="AX1O851576662602"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1066587342784421888" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">#Glitter is a member of a large family of #microplastics 😟
#health #hazard #pollution @CleanAirMoms @KidsHealth https://t.co/IBxQFeE0tV</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/1066587342784421888">1543129213.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
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- 3 Major UK Retailers Are Banning Glitter This Christmas Over Environmental Concerns - EcoWatch ›
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By Imogen Calderwood
Glitter is great, right? Particularly now that it's getting dark and cold and a bit depressing outside.
But, as much as we love glitter for making everything look festive, a chain of children's nurseries in the UK might actually have a point.
<p style="">Tops Day Nurseries has decided that glitter has to go, for the sake of the environment. </p><p style="">Just like microbeads—which have now been banned in the UK—glitter is a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/microplastics">microplastic</a> that can do "terrible damage" to our seas, oceans, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/marine-life">marine life</a> and, ultimately, us too. </p><p style="">Leftovers from children's art projects wash into the water system, and from there can end up in the food chain, according to the nurseries' Managing Director Cheryl Hadland.</p><p style="">"You can see when the children are taking their bits of craft home and there's glitter on the cardboard, it blows off and into the air," said Hadland, who is in charge of 2,500 children in 19 nurseries across Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Somerset and Wiltshire.</p><p style="">"There are 22,000 nurseries in the country," she added, "so if we're all getting through kilos and kilos of glitter, we're doing terrible damage."</p><p style="">But Hadland added that she "loved glitter" and she is trying to find an alternative material for craft sessions.</p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FEcoWatch%2Fposts%2F1729526673726929&width=500" width="500" height="482" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></div><p style=""><a href="https://www.mcsuk.org/" target="_blank">Marine Conservation Society</a> described it as a "proactive approach" and welcomed the nurseries' announcement.<br></p><p style="">Sue Kinsey from the Marine Conservation Society, said: "While glitter is only a small part of the microplastic load getting into watercourses and the sea, steps like these will all add up to something greater." </p><p style="">Alice Horton, from the UK's Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, told the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/17/nurseries-ban-glitter-in-pre-christmas-drive-for-cleaner-seas" target="_blank">Guardian</a>: "On a small scale, one nursery banning it is unlikely to have any environmental impact, but it's a good environmental statement to make, like one person choosing not to buy bottled water to reduce plastic bottle waste. [It is] not going to change the world but [it] sets a target for others."<br></p><p style="">Microplastics have become a hot topic in the UK, with <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/microbeads-ban-uk-oceans-environment-pollution/" target="_blank">the government announcing the strictest ban in the world on microbeads</a> to come into force by the end of this year.</p><p style="">The tiny plastics are found in everyday cosmetic products like body scrubs, face washes, toothpaste and cleaning products. And a single shower can result in 100,000 plastic particles entering the ocean. </p><p style="">Once plastic gets into the ocean, it acts as a magnet for pollutants. Toxins that wash into bodies of water—for example, agricultural pesticides and chemicals from industrial plants—latch onto plastic. And plastic in the water is then eaten by marine animals.<br></p><p style="">It is already affecting our food chain. The average person who eats seafood swallows an estimated 11,000 pieces of microplastic every year, according to researchers at the <a href="http://www.ecotox.ugent.be/micro-plastics-mussel-tissue" target="_blank">University of Ghent</a>.</p><p style="">Sir David Attenborough has been championing the fight against plastic pollution—which <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/david-attenborough-blue-planet-ii-2490636664.html">he has described</a> as "heartbreaking."</p><p style="">"We may think we live a long way from the oceans but we don't. What we actually do here … has a direct effect on the oceans and what the oceans do then reflects back on us," he <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/15/david-attenborough-urges-immediate-action-on-plastics-blue-planet" target="_blank">said</a>.</p><p style="">"It is one world. And it's in our care," he continued. "For the first time in the history of humanity, for the first time in 500 million years, one species has the future in the palm of its hands. I just hope it realizes that that is the case." </p><p style="">Global Citizen campaigns for the Global Goals, including to protect our oceans and seas. You can take action with us <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/take-action/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style=""> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/glitter-banned-nursery-uk-microplastic/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>.</em></p>
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Delta-8 THC is a cannabis product that has become a bestseller over the past few months, as many consumers find they can legally purchase it from CBD retailers. Its proponents say that Delta-8 THC will give you a nice little buzz, minus some of the more intense feelings (including paranoia) that are sometimes associated with marijuana.
Delta-8 THC is being marketed as a legal option for consumers who either don't live in a state with legal cannabis, or are a little apprehensive about how traditional psychoactive THC products will affect them. But is it all it's cracked up to be? Let's take a closer look, exploring what Delta-8 THC is, how it differs from other THC products, and whether it's actually legal for use.
<h2>What is Delta-8 THC?</h2><p>To better understand <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/health/marijuana-hemp-delta-8-thc.html" target="_blank">Delta-8 THC</a>, it helps to cover some basics about THC and cannabis.</p><p>Cannabis plants come chock full of different <a href="https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/cannabis-marijuana-and-cannabinoids-what-you-need-to-know" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>cannabinoids</em></a>. These are naturally-occuring chemical compounds that bind with receptors throughout your body. They can offer a wide range of mental, emotional, and physical effects; indeed, the healing and therapeutic properties marijuana or <a data-linked-post="2648563694" href="https://www.ecowatch.com/strongest-cbd-oil-2648563694.html" target="_blank">CBD products</a> offer can be attributed to cannabinoids.</p><p>One of the most common cannabinoids is what's known as Delta-9 THC. Simply put, this is the part of marijuana that gets you "high." It's worth noting that Delta-9 THC remains illegal in many states, except for in the most minute doses, and is still illegal at the federal level. CBD products are made with trace amounts of THC, ensuring that consumers can enjoy positive health effects in a perfectly legal way, without the risk of getting high.</p><p>On a chemical level, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/health/marijuana-hemp-delta-8-thc.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Delta-8 THC</a> is not too different from Delta-9 THC; the distinction comes down to just a few molecules. But those molecules make a big practical impact: Delta-8 THC will give you a buzz, but the psychoactive effects are considerably milder than with Delta-9 THC.</p><p>More specifically, many cannabis enthusiasts report that Delta-8 THC helps them feel good but also leaves them relatively clear-headed; and, it doesn't produce the anxiety or jitteriness that often characterize a Delta-9 THC high.</p><p>Additionally, because of the way the law is written regarding Delta-9 THC, some CBD companies now sell Delta-8 THC products in places where traditional cannabis is still illegal.</p><h2>What's the Difference Between Delta-9 THC and Delta-8 THC?</h2><p>Here are the primary differences to note between Delta-9 and Delta-8 THC:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Delta-9 THC is the primary psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana. In other words, it's the part that gets you high.</li><li>Though some states have found workarounds, Delta-9 THC is still illegal under federal law.</li><li>Delta-8 THC is also found in the cannabis plant, though it's not quite as powerful or as well-known. </li><li>Delta-8 THC is milder in its psychoactive effects. And, it's not <em>technically </em>illegal under current law.</li></ul><p>These are just a few of the key distinctions to keep in mind. Delta-8 THC is popular among consumers who want a smoother high, and don't want to violate federal law.</p><h2>Is Delta-8 THC Legal?</h2><p>We noted that Delta-8 THC is not <em>technically </em>illegal. Here, we need to get into some of the nuanced legal considerations that surround this substance.</p><p>First of all, there are plenty of cannabis companies that actively promote Delta-8 THC as a legal way to get high. Again, that's technically true, but is still a point of debate for some.</p><p>For one thing, it's not explicitly listed as an illegal substance. While federal laws, and some state laws, specifically ban Delta-9 THC, Delta-8 THC is never mentioned. More to the point, though, many proponents will cite the<a href="https://www.usda.gov/farmbill" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 2018 Farm Bill</a>. This law legalized several industrial hemp products on a national level, including CBD.</p><p>The Farm Bill also includes some fairly nuanced positions regarding THC. In summary, the law says that hemp and cannabis-derived products are legal so long as they contain less than 0.3 percent Delta-9 THC.</p><p>With that said, some lawyers contend that Delta-8's heyday may soon come to an end. That's because the Farm Bill clears it only so long as it's derived directly from hemp; most of the Delta-8 THC products sold today aren't made from hemp, but rather from synthetically-altered CBD.</p><p>Some of these issues are a little fuzzy, and <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/delta-8-thc-legal-weed-explained-1113859/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the legal future of Delta-8 THC</a> remains a little uncertain. For now, though, many experts would argue that it is legal to purchase.</p><h2>What Kinds of Delta-8 THC Products Are Available?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><p>If you're looking to try Delta-8 THC products, you'll certainly find plenty of different products. Dispensaries and legal cannabis stores currently have a trove of products that use this cannabinoid. Some examples include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Vape cartridges, tinctures, and capsules.</li><li>Beverages made with Delta-8 THC, including some seltzers.</li><li>Edibles, including Delta-8 THC gummy bears, chocolate bars, and more.</li></ul><p>The cannabis industry has really been running with Delta-8 THC, finding creative ways to bring it to market. And chances are, even more products will be springing up in the weeks and months to come. </p><p>It's very important to note that you should only purchase Delta-8 THC products from reputable brands and established cannabis retailers. We do not recommend purchasing any products that contain Delta-8 THC from gas stations or vape shops. If you are looking for a reputable place to explore these products, here are a few brands that we trust and recommend:</p>
<h2>What are the Pros and Cons of Delta-8 THC?</h2><p>As you consider whether Delta-8 THC is worth your time, it may be helpful to weigh the pros against the cons.</p><p><strong>Pros</strong></p><p>Let's start with some of the positives:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Delta-8 THC does have psychoactive effects, but it's a milder effect than with traditional Delta-9 THC.</li><li>Delta-8 THC is currently legal and widely accessible in multiple states.</li><li>There are a wide number of products that use Delta-8 THC.</li></ul><p><strong>Cons</strong></p><p>Now, a few of the downsides.</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Delta-8 THC isn't quite as commonplace as other cannabis products, including CBD, and some of the options on the market are expensive.</li><li>While this substance is technically legal, there are plenty of uncertainties over its legal future. It's something you want to keep in mind.</li><li>As a relatively new product, Delta-8 THC products are not regulated by the FDA and there is not independent testing in place to verify that it is safe or pure.</li></ul><p>As with any cannabis product, Delta-8 THC has its pros and cons. As you seek the cannabis product that's best for you, it's largely a matter of personal preference.</p><p>Also note that smoking, vaping, or otherwise imbibing any kind of cannabis-related product can carry some medical risks and negative health consequences. If you have any specific concerns, we recommend consulting with your doctor before you try any Delta-8 THC product.</p><p><em><strong>Josh Hurst </strong></em><em>is a journalist, critic, and essayist. He lives in Knoxville, TN, with his wife and three sons. He covers natural health, nutrition, supplements, and clean energy. His writing has appeared in Health, Shape, and Remedy Review.</em></p>
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<p><a href="https://nuleafnaturals.com/product/full-spectrum-delta-8-thc-oil-30mg-ml/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NuLeaf Naturals Full Spectrum Delta 8 THC Oil</a> is made from organic hemp and organic virgin hemp seed extract. It's available in a 150 mg bottle and a 450 mg bottle, which both provide 15 mg of Delta 8 THC per serving. This formula is also available in a soft gel.</p>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.botanyfarms.com/product/delta-10-thc-vape-cartridge/?aff=14" target="_blank">Botany Farms Delta-10 THC Vape Cartridge</a> actually contains both Delta-10 and Delta-8 THC.This is designed to provide the desired effects of Delta-8 THC but without the drowsiness. They also offer a vape cartridge with a 1:1 concentration of <a href="https://www.botanyfarms.com/product/delta-10-delta-8-thc-vape-cartridge/?aff=14" target="_blank">Delta-8 THC</a> and Delta-10 THC. Note that while vape products can be used to aid in smoking cessation, we do not recommend vaping or smoking because of the negative health effects they can cause.</p>
$60
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By Daniel Ross
All that glitters ain't gold, or so the old adage goes. And when it comes to the glitter used in everyday cosmetics, specialty make-up, hair products and party paraphernalia, the negative effects on human health and the environment are indeed far from golden.
"They really do get into everything, and despite their tiny size, they can have a devastating impact on humans and non-human animals," wrote Trisia Farrelly, a social anthropologist at Massey University in New Zealand and an expert in waste plastics, in an email to AlterNet.
<p style="">Glitter is one member of a large family of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/microplastics">microplastics</a>—tiny little bits of plastic less than five millimeters in size. Think microbeads, microfibers and fingernail-sized fragments of much larger plastic wastes that have broken down over time. When washed or flushed away, microplastics make their way into our oceans and great lakes, slowly accumulating over time, creating all sorts of health and environmental hazards, the full breadth of which is still being grasped.</p><p style="">For one, there's the issue of how microplastics like cosmetic glitter—made by bonding aluminum with polyethylene terephthalate (PET)—impact sensitive ecosystems. That's because PETs leach out endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which, when eaten by <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/marine-life">marine life</a>, can cause adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological and immune effects, said Farrelly. <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/113/9/2430.abstract" target="_blank">In this recent study</a>, microplastics are shown to significantly impact the reproduction rates of oysters.</p><p style="">Then there's the domino-like effect of microplastics through the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-016-2973-0" target="_blank">food-chain</a>, for the sheer volume of microplastics consumed by seafood-loving humans is staggering. <a href="https://www.ecotox.ugent.be/microplastics-bivalves-cultured-human-consumption" target="_blank">This study</a> from the University of Ghent found that Europeans who eat shellfish can consume as much as 11,000 microplastics per year. But what are some of the long-term implications from glitter passing through the food-chain? </p><p style="">PETs attract and absorb persistent organic pollutants and pathogens, adding an extra layer of contamination. When those at the bottom of the ladder—like molluscs, sea snails, marine worms, and plankton—eat pathogen or pollutant-carrying particles of glitter, these minuscule poison pills can concentrate in toxicity as they move up the food chain, all the way to our dinner plates, said Farrelly.</p><p>"When we eat Kai moana [Maori term for seafood], we are taking on these toxins," she wrote. "When they enter the gut, the toxins and pathogens are very easily taken up." </p><p>A growing body of research is shining a light on the resulting effects of these toxins and pathogens on humans. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21362587" target="_blank">Studies</a> connect endocrine disrupting chemicals with marine and freshwater fish population collapses, as well as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1281269/" target="_blank">declines in sex ratios</a> in human populations that live adjacent to plastic factories. </p><p>All of which is prompting many marine experts and environmentalists to advocate for the same ban on glitter as there has been on microbeads—the tiny little balls of plastic used in things like exfoliating beauty products.</p><p>"At the rate we are going, there could be one pound of plastic for every three pounds of finfish in the ocean in the next ten years," wrote Nick Mallos, director of Ocean Conservancy's Trash Free Seas Program, in an email. "And unless action is taken, the problem is only going to get bigger." </p><p>At the end of 2015 after a <a href="https://www.alternet.org/environment/tiny-plastic-microbeads-are-being-banned-states-across-country-causing-mega-problems" target="_blank">sustained campaign at the state level</a>, the Obama administration signed the <a href="https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr1321enr/pdf/BILLS-114hr1321enr.pdf" target="_blank">Microbead-Free Waters Act</a>, banning plastic microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products. Other countries have subsequently followed suit. The <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/uk-microbeads-ban-world-strongest-public-health-toothpaste-sunscreen-shower-gel-microplastic-michael-a7852941.html" target="_blank">U.K.</a> and <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/95870216/new-zealand-to-ban-microbeads" target="_blank">New Zealand</a> announced their own prohibitions on microbeads earlier this year.</p><p>Importantly, these bans aren't necessarily a reflection of the singular impact from microbeads. Rather, they're a nod to a much wider understanding of the pervasiveness in the environment of microplastics in general, for the amount of microplastics entering the ocean alone is staggering. According to <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/10/12/124006;jsessionid=123F0E078E457FC6106D3ACEE956F209.c3.iopscience.cld.iop.org" target="_blank">estimates made in 2014</a>, there are between 15 and 51 trillion microplastic particles, weighing between 93 and 236 thousand metric tons, sitting in the world's seas.</p><p style="">What's more, their impacts are myriad</p><p style="">.A <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b03163?source=cen&" target="_blank">number</a> of <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b03163?source=cen&" target="_blank">studies</a> have shown that tiny plastic particles have been detected in sea salts sold commercially. In an interview with the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/08/sea-salt-around-world-contaminated-by-plastic-studies" target="_blank">Guardian</a>, Sherri Mason, a professor at the State University of New York at Fredonia who led one of these studies, described plastics as being "ubiquitous in the air, water, the seafood we eat, the beer we drink, the salt we use—plastics are just everywhere." Microfibers have even been found in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19440049.2013.843025" target="_blank">honey</a>.</p><p>Microplastic had also made their way into 83 percent of tap water samples from more than a dozen countries around the world including India, Lebanon, France and Germany, according to an <a href="https://orbmedia.org/stories/Invisibles_plastics" target="_blank">investigation by Orb Media</a>. The U.S. languished at the bottom of the pile, with plastic fibers appearing in 94 percent of samples.</p><p style="">But microplastics comprise only a fraction of the global plastic pollution problem. The world's oceans are pockmarked, for example, with massive clusters of marine debris and plastics—the <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/" target="_blank">Great Pacific Garbage Patch</a> found in the North Pacific Ocean proving to be the largest such gyre. According to the <a href="https://www.unep.org/newscentre/un-declares-war-ocean-plastic" target="_blank">U.N.</a>, more than 8 million tons of plastic makes its way into the ocean each year—equal to a garbage truck of plastic dumped every minute.</p><p>Data shows that rapidly developing economies, where population growth and consumption are outpacing waste collection and recycling capacity, are responsible for the largest amounts of plastic wastes entering the oceans, said Nick Mallos. And he warned that, without intervention, growing economies would likely exacerbate these "unintended consequences of development spread." Still, he remains optimistic.</p><p style="">"By raising awareness of the issue of ocean plastic," Mallos wrote, "we can curb the flow through reduced consumption, improved waste management and innovative product and material solutions."</p><p style=""> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.alternet.org/environment/why-glitter-must-be-banned" target="_blank">AlterNet</a>.</em></p>
From Your Site Articles
- 9 Shocking Facts About Plastic Pollution in Our Oceans ›
- 3 Major UK Retailers Are Banning Glitter This Christmas Over Environmental Concerns - EcoWatch ›
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