AB 823 (Boerner)
Protecting Californians from Toxic Microplastics

OVERVIEW

AB 823 would have expanded California’s existing ban on intentionally-added microbeads to include leave on cosmetics and cleaning products.

ISSUE

Plastic microbeads are five millimeters or smaller solid plastic particles that are added to products. These intentionally added plastic particles degrade into microplastics, causing widespread environmental contamination and posing serious health risks to humans and wildlife. These toxic additions have become a pervasive pollutant that can be found nearly everywhere on earth, including in oceans, rivers, soil, the air, and in peoples’ bodies.

Microplastics absorb toxic chemicals and bioaccumulate in the food chain, endangering ecosystems and public health. Microplastics have been found in lungs, the bloodstream, placenta tissues, breast milk and even the brain, raising serious health concerns, such as dementia, hormone disruption, infertility, and cancer affecting the lungs, blood, breasts, prostate, and ovaries.

While California banned plastic microbeads in rinse-off personal care products in 2015 (AB 888, Bloom, Chapter 594, Statutes of 2015), plastic microbeads are still being used in leave-on cosmetics and cleaning products.

Position: Co-sponsored by 5 Gyres, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, Californians Against Waste and Clean Water Action CA

Status: Vetoed by the Governor.

Contact: Krystal Raynes, Nick Lapis

Fact Sheet - Updated 6/26/25

Current language, analysis, and votes:  AB 823

WHAT DOES AB 823 DO?

Beginning January 1, 2029, AB 823 would ban the sale of non-rinse off personal care products and cleaning products containing plastic microbeads used as an abrasive to clean, exfoliate, or polish. Additionally, AB 823 would ban plastic glitter in leave on cosmetics by 2030.

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