Pretty, sparkly, and notoriously hard to get rid of, forms of glitter have been used for decoration since at least Aztec times. You can find it today on everything from ornaments and clothes to greeting cards and cosmetics. However, modern glitter is often made of plastic, which makes it far more dangerous than its festive appearance suggests.
When washed into the water system and eventually into seas and rivers, glitter becomes microplastic pollution. Fish often mistake these small plastic particles for food, allowing toxins to climb the food chain. When predators eat prey contaminated with microplastics, they consume the plastic as well — and if we eat seafood, that includes us. It is estimated that humans may ingest between 74,000 and 121,000 microplastic particles each year. While research is ongoing, these particles have been linked to serious issues, including DNA damage, organ dysfunction, and cardiovascular problems.
Glitter only makes up a tiny portion of oceanic microplastics, but it is uniquely harmful. Unlike most microplastics that form from larger debris breaking down, glitter is manufactured as a microplastic from the start. Furthermore, it is composed of several different compounds that can leach toxins into the surrounding environment.
Additionally, a recent study suggests that glitter particles can encourage the formation of certain mineral crystals, changing the chemistry of the water. This could not only affect how sea life produces shells and skeletons, but these crystals can also break the glitter down into even smaller nanoplastics. These are even more likely to be absorbed by marine organisms.
While biodegradable alternatives have been developed, some studies suggest these could be just as harmful as the original. Perhaps it is time we found an entirely different, safer way to make our world sparkle.