An organization that supports B.C. kids in nature wants holiday fanatics and crafters to be careful when using glitter.

NatureKids BC is urging people to swap out commercial glitter products, also known as microplastics, for environmentally-friendly alternatives to help keep fish and birds away from the plastic hazards.

Microplastics are a growing problem for marine life, as glitter gets into the ocean and rivers through household wastewater and run-off from landfills, the group said on Tuesday.

鈥淭he size of the fragments means they鈥檙e easily swallowed by sea life and the results can prove fatal,鈥� said Louise Pedersen, executive director of NatureKids BC.

鈥淔ish, shellfish, seabirds, whales and other marine organisms can simply not tell the difference between particles of food and plastic, and will consume the indigestible plastic bits, which can fill up their stomachs and lead to starvation.鈥�

Homemade glitter can be made from things many already have in the cupboard, such as food dyes, salt, sugar or lentils.

鈥淔or those young glitter fans who can鈥檛 forgo some sparkle this Christmas, biodegradable glitter can be bought online,鈥� Pedersen added.

ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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