Sustainability publication Impakter reported on Ronald Britton Ltd, a company using regenerated cellulose and a thin layer of aluminum as an alternative to glitter often produced using non-biodegradable polyethylene terephthalate. Though Ronald Britton’s eleven Bioglitter products are certified biodegradable in fresh water, and most pass the EU’s recent regulation on microplastics, the publication points out the addition of cellulose into an ecosystem can lead to invasive species. The products also only break down in fresh water, leaving Bioglitter to persist in other environments.
“Overall, research found that Bioglitter and plastic glitter have similar effects on fresh water fauna and flora,” according to Impakter. “This is due to their influence on the base of the food web. Biodegradable or not, glitter still impacts the diet of vegetation and small organisms. This change ends up changing the balance of the entire local food chain.”