Larry Klein
Mayor
Linda Sell
Vice Mayor
Alysa Cisneros
Councilmember
Richard Mehlinger
Councilmember
Murali Srinivasan
Councilmember
Charlsie Chang
Councilmember
Eileen Le
Councilmember
June 4, 2025
The Honorable Tasha Boerner
California State Assembly
1021 O Street, Suite 4150
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 823 (Boerner): Solid waste: plastic microbeads: plastic glitter – SUPPORT (Amended - 4/24/2025)
Dear Assemblymember Boerner:
On behalf of the City of Sunnyvale, we want to express our support for AB 823, which will expand California’s existing ban on intentionally-added microbeads to include cosmetics and cleaning products. AB 823 would ensure that Californians are using safe products and not polluting the state’s waterways.
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. 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.
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. This microplastic contamination and subsequent absorption poses serious threats to human and animal health. These tiny particles enter the human body through inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption, accumulating in various organs and causing cellular damage. A 2022 scientific review found that microplastics and nanoplastics can cause: genotoxicity; cell damage; oxidative stress; metabolism disruption; DNA damage; inflammation; and immunological responses.
Attachment 2
The Honorable Tasha Boerner, State Assembly
June 4, 2025
It is time for California to follow the European Union and pass a restriction on microplastics in cosmetics and cleaning products. This bill deeply aligns with our General Plan’s Goal (EM-4 Adequate Water Quality).
For these reasons, we support AB 823. Thank you for consideration of our position.
Please do not hesitate to contact me or Ramana Chinnakotla, Director of Environmental Services, at [email protected], if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Larry Klein
Mayor
cc: Senator Dr. Aisha Wahab
Assembly Member Patrick Ahrens
City Council
Tim Kirby, City Manager
Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Ramana Chinnakotla, Director of Environmental Services
Attachment 2