ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York could become the first state in the nation to outlaw the sale of cosmetic products containing tiny plastic scrubbing beads that have been accumulating by the tens of millions in the Great Lakes.

The plastic particles can persist in the environment for centuries and accumulate toxic chemicals that could enter the food chain if marine creatures ingest them, said state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who proposed the legislation that Assemblyman Robert Sweeney planned to introduce Tuesday night.