Microbead Free - Self Declared is one of the declarations under the Ekko Score Conservation & Environment Standard.
Microbeads are small, plastic particles that are less than 5mm and don’t degrade or dissolve in water. Microbeads are banned in some countries, but not yet in Australia, where we 'self regulate'. Microbead Free - Self Declared products declare that they have no added microbeads in either raw form or via any ingredients. Microbeads are typically found in a wide range of personal care products, including face scrubs, soaps and toothpaste.
Microbeads pose a great threat to the environment. Hardly visible to the naked eye, microbeads flow straight from products, into the bathroom drain, onto the sewer system and out to our waterways. From the waterways, they get eaten by different animals or attach to particles like salt, inevitably finding their way back to us in our food.
Microbead Free - Self Declared sits in the PLASTIC POLLUTION Family under the Environmental Standard: Conservation & Environment of Ekko Score. One set of weighted Ekko Score points are gathered from each Family.
These are the claimable declarations & certifications under the Environmental Standard: Conservation & Environment. Please note that different certifications and declarations may be relevant to each category.
Yes, where the impact of the claim is similar. This is how it works.
IMPORTANTLY, SELF DECLARATIONS ARE GOVERNED BY CONSUMER LAW. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR BUSINESSES TO MAKE FALSE CLAIMS (INCLUDING IMPLIED CLAIMS IN A CONTEXT LIKE EKKO SCORE).
EVEN IF A PRODUCT HAS A FORMAL CERTIFICATION, THAT CERTIFICATION DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ENTIRE INTEGRITY OF THE PRODUCT'S MAKE UP.
An example might be a Handmade, Australian, Certified Organic chocolate that contains Palm Oil. Under Ekko Score, this product would claim Certified Organic and would self declare: Zero Waste Production and Australian made, but could not claim the No Palm Oil declaration. This would mean a lower score under the Conservation & Environment Standard, making the inclusion of Palm Oil clear to potential consumers, without detracting from its other assets.
No product is perfect, but some products are definitely better than others. Ekko Score allows you to make the best decision you can, or to put it another way, the least worst decision. And to make that decision with the confidence of not being green washed. Find out more about how Ekko Score works.