Since the 1990s, many products; including facial washes, soaps, shampoos, body scrubs, and more; have contained tiny little plastic balls called microbeads. The purpose of this beads is to help you achieve a deeper clean by gently stripping away the outer dead layers of your skin. Most of these beads are made of non-toxic polyethylene, and they typically measure 1mm or less in diameter, but the harm they cause is much, much greater. Because the beads don't dissolve or decompose, they stick around when they escape into bodies of water. They are also capable of sucking up toxins, and potentially releasing them elsewhere... including in your food.