Chemical security

Steven Aftergood: CRS on Microbead Threat to Water Quality

Microbeads are synthetic particles made of either polyethylene or polypropylene plastic. …  Because microbeads are so small, most wastewater treatment plant technology is not capable of removing them from the wastestream. Most microbeads do not biodegrade, as they require high heat processing to break down, which municipal sewage systems are typically unable to do.