And what if the glitter from your Halloween costume ends up in the stomach of a fish or at the bottom of a glass of tap water? The idea may sound ridiculous, and yet it is exactly the scenario the European Union is trying to avoid. Behind the pumpkins, witches and sparkling makeup that flood the shelves at this time of year lies a problem far more serious than it seems. A discreet but ambitious regulation aims to gradually eliminate an unsuspected source of invisible pollution. And curiously, one of the most emblematic accessories of Halloween has managed to secure a particularly generous grace period. An unpacking of a measure that affects your bathroom more than you might imagine.
- Since 2023, the REACH regulation gradually bans microplastics intentionally added to everyday products to prevent 500,000 tonnes of discharges over twenty years.
- Cosmetic glitter (face/body glitter gels) enjoy a transition period of up to twelve years, unlike loose glitter already banned from sale.
- To limit pollution, it is recommended to remove glitter with a disposable cotton pad and throw it in the trash rather than rinsing with water, which does not fully filter them.
- A European regulation to limit microplastics
- Halloween glitter facing a twelve-year grace period
- Simple steps to reduce dispersion into water
A European regulation to limit microplastics
Since 2023, the European Union has tightly regulated the marketing of microplastics intentionally added to everyday products. This restriction, enshrined in the REACH Regulation, targets plastic particles smaller than five millimeters found in cosmetics, detergents, fertilizers and certain craft products. The stated objective is clear: to prevent the release of nearly 500,000 tonnes of microplastics into the environment over a twenty-year period. A figure that is dizzying when you know that these particles, once dispersed in soils or waterways, hardly degrade and eventually accumulate in food chains. For European authorities, the aim is therefore to act at the source rather than chase pollution already disseminated.
Halloween glitter facing a twelve-year grace period
Among the products covered by this regulation, loose glitter is particularly prominent. It is now impossible to purchase them in plastic glitter confetti jars newly marketed for crafts or decoration that are non-biodegradable and insoluble. But a Halloween accessory gets favorable treatment: cosmetic glitter, such as face or body glitter gels, benefits from a much longer transition period. Specifically, manufacturers have up to twelve years to adapt their formulas and offer compliant alternatives. This difference in treatment is explained by the technical difficulty of reformulating cosmetic products without changing their texture or effectiveness, unlike loose glitter sold for crafts, which is easier to replace. As a result, makeup and glitter gels will continue to adorn faces for several more Halloween seasons, while the cosmetics industry seeks viable biodegradable or natural solutions.
Des gestes simples pour réduire la dispersion dans l’eau
En attendant que la réglementation produise pleinement ses effets, quelques habitudes permettent déjà de limiter les dégâts. Le réflexe le plus répandu, et le plus problématique, consiste à se démaquiller directement sous l’eau du robinet ou sous la douche. Or, ces paillettes, trop fines pour être totalement filtrées par les stations d’épuration, finissent en partie dans les rivières et les océans. La solution est pourtant toute simple : il suffit de retirer le maquillage pailleté avec un coton démaquillant classique, puis de le jeter à la poubelle avec les ordures ménagères plutôt que de le rincer dans l’évier. Ce petit geste, presque anodin, évite que des milliers de minuscules particules de plastique ne rejoignent le réseau des eaux usées. Voici quelques réflexes à adopter pour un démaquillage plus responsable :
- Use a reusable cotton pad or makeup-remover disk instead of water alone
- Discard the used cotton in the trash, never in toilets or sinks
- Prefer glitter makeup based on mica or biodegradable glitter
- Avoid loose glitter for costumes and crafts
This European regulation well illustrates the difficulty of balancing festive enjoyment with environmental restraint. While awaiting next-generation glitter to flood makeup aisles, a simple change in the way you remove makeup remains the most effective means of limiting the impact of this little sparkling pleasure.
