Statement From A.G. Schneiderman Applauding Assembly Passage Of Microbead-Free Waters Act

ALBANY – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today released the following statement applauding the State Assembly’s passage of A. 5896, sponsored by Assemblymember Michelle Schimel, which would prohibit the sale in New York State of personal care products that contain tiny plastic particles known as microbeads. The bill, proposed by Attorney General Schneiderman, is now awaiting action in the State Senate.

“From the Great Lakes to the Long Island Sound, our state’s waterways are an invaluable resource. By passing a ban on products containing these harmful particles for the second year in a row, the Assembly has reiterated its commitment to protecting New York’s waters, wildlife, and outdoor economy. The bill passed by the Assembly today would be the most effective bill passed anywhere in the country. I am grateful to Assemblywoman Schimel for her partnership in the fight to keep this harmful form of plastic pollution out of our waterways, so that they may be enjoyed by generations of New Yorkers to come.”

Earlier this week, Attorney General Schneiderman issued a first-of-its-kind report called Discharging Microbeads to Our Waters: An Examination of Wastewater Treatment Plants in New York, showing that microbead “toxic-sponges” are systematically passing through wastewater treatment plants and entering waterways across the state.