Abstract

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD - THE DARK SIDE OF GLITTER

Dr. Wahied Khawar Balwan* and Sachdeep Kour

ABSTRACT

Glitter is in trend all over the world. However, its use has increased tremendously over the past few years. The use of Glitter in fashion and makeup industry, art and crafts, celebrations, etc. is rising every day. Glitter is a microplastic. It is usually made from a combination of aluminium and plastic. Glitter is a decorative nuisance which is getting everywhere, even into the farthest flung corners of the earth. Scientists have found evidence that glitter contains microplastics, which can find their way into rivers and oceans, taking many years to degrade. Some researchers have even called for a total ban on glitter over concerns that these particles are polluting oceans and hurting marine life. A primary intent of this article is to spread awareness in the society about the harmful effects of glitter on our environment and to provide an insight into the safer alternatives of glitter. We believe that „Awareness is the first step to solve a problem‟. This article is designed to meet the purpose of educating the readers about the pros and cons of using plastic based glitter as well as to encourage them to make better choices by switching to eco-friendly alternatives to glitter (biodegradable glitter) in order to tackle the problem of microplastic pollution created by traditional glitter. The use of Bio-glitter is a positive step forward to save our environment.

Keywords: Glitter, Microplastic, Marine life, Environment, Pollution, Biodegradable, Bio-glitter.