Germans Are Snapping Up Glitter Before Ban Kicks In

The European Union is about to become a less glittery place. Loose glitter and microbeads are being banned starting next Tuesday, when the first phase of an EU ban on microplastic kicks in. The Guardian reports that glitter has been flying off store shelves in Germany, where reality TV star Sam Dylan said he looked for all the glitter he could find and spent nearly $200 on 82 packets. "I heard about the ban during a TV recording in which we were using glitter," he said. "I am truly shocked by it. In my world everything has to glitter."

The European Commission voted in favor of a wide-ranging ban on microplastics last month. According to the European Chemicals Agency, the move will keep 500,000 metric tons of microplastics out of the environment over the next 20 years. After the glitter ban, sales bans will kick in at later dates for other products with plastic particles smaller than 5mm, including microplastics used in products like cosmetics, detergents, and fabric softeners, along with microplastics used as infill in artificial turf. (More microplastics stories.)