Microbeads: A Controversy Map Main Menu Microbeads From Statements to Debates: An Overview of the Microbead Controversy The Actors in the Microbead Debate How are the Actors in the Microbead Debate Connected? The Network of Actors in the Microbead Debate. The Geographical Locations of the Actors and Networks in the Microbead Debate

The Shifting Microbead Controversy Over Time

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Click here to view an interactive timeline of the Microbead debate!

The locations on the timeline are colour-coded: blue for scientific findings, green for NGO's, and red for political involvement. Each point is interactive and provides a link to the article or website in which the information was found - this is done by clicking the find out more tab. In examining the debate further, I realized that the term microbeads is often referred to as microplastics in the environmental science community. This may have been where some of the confusion lies in the original academic search of microbeads in Scopus, as the term microbeads tends to be used more frequently in the biomedical field. It is also important to note that this timeline focuses on the debate occurring in North America and more specifically the U.S.

In examining this timeline, one can see how the debate has really exploded in the political realm since Frank Pallone's introduction of the Microbeads-Free Water Act. Hopefully, this timeline helps to depict how the debate has transitioned from scientific findings to recognition by NGO's to finally policy and legislation - ending with the implementation of law AB888 in California and President Obama passing the Microbeads-Free Water Act.

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  1. Microbeads Aimee, Dawn, Jacqueline, and Zac