Illinois bans microbeads in cosmetics and soaps

CHICAGO (AP) — Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Sunday that he says gives Illinois the distinction as the first state in the nation to ban the sale and manufacture of soaps and cosmetics containing microbeads.

Synthetic plastic microbeads — billed as a way to exfoliate or scrub surfaces — are found in facial cleansers, body washes and even some toothpastes. But environmental experts have raised concerns of plastic pollution in waterways, saying microbeads can build up and accumulate toxic chemicals that could threaten the food chain.