Microbead Legislation Advancing on Capitol Hill

Microbeads would be banned from hygiene products by the end of 2019 under federal legislation advancing in the U.S. House.

The measure, co-sponsored by Michigan Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, passed a House committee this week.

The tiny beads, which are meant to go down the drain of your sink, are also small enough to get through barriers and into large bodies of water like the Great Lakes.

From there toxins can leach on to the beads, fish then eat the beads and then people eat the fish.

The legislation bans companies from making the beads beginning in 2017.

Companies who use the beads would then have to phase them out in 2018 and 2019.