You think finding glitter in your hair after an arts and crafts session is bad – consider how Mother Nature feels!
Top Day Nurseries, a chain of créches in the south of the UK, have banned glitter from their premises due to its negative environmental effects, the Guardian reports.
According to a statement put out on the nurseries’ website, these ‘tiny, shimmering specs of microplastic are virtually impossible to remove from the environment once there’.
Pieces of glitter are much like microbeads, which were recently banned by the UK government.
Alice Horton, a research associate at the UK’s Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, told the Guardian, “We all know that glitter can get everywhere and is highly likely to end up in the environment, either down the drain or by shedding from decorative items.”
Much plastic debris, including glitter, ends up in the oceans, where fish may mistake it for food.
There are 19 Top Day Nurseries locations, and they care for 2,500 children, so they hope their decision can help to reduce the amount of pollution entering the ocean.
Alice told the Guardian that the nursery chain likely will not make an impactful difference in the amount of plastic debris in the seas, but the statement they are making by banning glitter ‘sets a target for others’.
Cheryl Hadland, managing director of Top Day Nurseries, hopes to set a good example for both parents and children.
“We hope that our future generation will be more conscientious about their impact on the environment,” she said, “We welcome support from parents and families, we believe this is a cultural change which will benefit not only us, but our children even more.”
While we don’t want to hurt the environment, the thought of the world being a little less sparkly is making us cry glittery tears.
Kudos to Top Day Nurseries for going green!
What do you think of créches banning glitter, mums?
