Macro photography of microbeads, particles found within consumer facial scrub lotion. The spheres are tiny polyethylene 'microplastic' beads. The particles measuring only a few micrometers in diameter each act as exfoliating agents that help to remove dead skin cells when applied to the body. Microplastics are too small to be trapped during waste water treatment and eventually end up as in the ocean. It is thought that small marine animals ingest the microplastics and pass the pollutant up the food chain.