How to Check Products for Microplastics [2026 Guide]

Why Checking Products for Microplastics Matters

Every day, you come into contact with dozens of products that may contain microplastics -- tiny plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in size. From the face wash you use in the morning to the food containers you pack lunch in, microplastics are hiding in places most people never think to look. According to recent studies, the average person ingests approximately 5 grams of microplastics per week -- roughly the weight of a credit card.

The problem is that most consumers have absolutely no idea what they are being exposed to. Product labels rarely call out microplastics explicitly, and manufacturers often use technical chemical names that obscure the presence of synthetic polymers. Without the right tools and knowledge, it is nearly impossible to know whether a product is safe or quietly contributing to your body's plastic burden.

That is exactly why we created this guide. Below, you will find four proven methods for checking any product for microplastics, starting with the fastest and most reliable option and working through manual approaches that anyone can use. Whether you are a concerned parent, a health-conscious shopper, or someone who simply wants to make informed decisions, this guide will give you the tools to take control of what goes into your body and your home.

Method 1: Use the MicroPlastics App (Recommended)

The fastest and most comprehensive way to check any product for microplastics is to use the MicroPlastics app. Designed specifically for this purpose, the app gives you an instant safety analysis of thousands of consumer products with a simple barcode scan. Here is how to get started:

Step 1: Download the App

The MicroPlastics app is available for free on the App Store. Download it and create an account in under a minute. You get five free scans to try before deciding whether to subscribe for unlimited access.

Step 2: Scan Any Product Barcode

Open the app and point your camera at the barcode on any product -- food, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, personal care items, or baby products. The app recognizes standard UPC, EAN, and QR codes instantly. If a product does not have a scannable barcode, you can also search by product name or brand.

Step 3: Get Your Instant Safety Score

Within seconds, the app returns a detailed safety score that rates the product from A (safest) to F (highest microplastic concern). The score is calculated using AI analysis of the product's ingredients, packaging materials, manufacturing processes, and known contamination data. You do not need to be a scientist to understand the results -- the letter grade and color-coded system make it immediately clear whether a product is safe.

Step 4: Review the Detailed Breakdown

Below the overall score, the app provides a full breakdown of exactly which ingredients or packaging materials are concerning and why. Each flagged ingredient includes an explanation of what type of microplastic it contains, what the health risks are, and how significant the exposure level is. This is the kind of transparency that product labels simply do not provide.

Step 5: Track Your Exposure Over Time

One of the most powerful features of the MicroPlastics app is its exposure tracking dashboard. Every product you scan is logged, and the app builds a running picture of your total microplastic exposure across all the products you use. Over time, you can see trends, identify your biggest sources of exposure, and measure the impact of switching to safer alternatives.

Key App Features at a Glance

• Barcode Scanning: Instant product identification with your phone camera
• AI-Powered Analysis: Advanced algorithms evaluate ingredients, packaging, and contamination data
• Safety Score (A-F): Simple, color-coded rating system anyone can understand
• Exposure Tracking: Monitor your cumulative microplastic exposure over days, weeks, and months
• Personalized Recommendations: Get safer alternative product suggestions based on what you scan
• Product Database: Access data on thousands of common consumer products
• Scan History: Review all previously scanned products and compare scores

The app is by far the most efficient method because it combines all of the manual research steps below into a single, instant result. That said, understanding the manual methods will make you a more informed consumer overall.

Method 2: Read Ingredient Labels

If you want to check products the old-fashioned way, learning to read ingredient labels is essential. The challenge is that microplastics are never listed as "microplastics" on a label. Instead, they appear under their chemical or polymer names. Here are the most common microplastic ingredients to watch for:

Common Microplastic Ingredients

1. Polyethylene (PE): The most widely used plastic in the world. Found in exfoliating scrubs, toothpaste, and skin care products as tiny beads. Often listed as "polyethylene" or "PE" in ingredient lists.
2. Polypropylene (PP): Used in cosmetics, lip products, and personal care items. Look for "polypropylene" or "PP" on labels.
3. Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA): Common in nail products, cosmetics, and skin treatments. Sometimes listed as "polymethyl methacrylate" or "PMMA."
4. Nylon-12 (Polyamide-12): Found in pressed powders, mascara, and foundation. May appear as "nylon-12," "polyamide-12," or simply "nylon."
5. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET): Used in glitter-based cosmetics and exfoliating products. Listed as "polyethylene terephthalate" or "PET."
6. Polyurethane: Found in hair styling products, nail polishes, and coatings. Look for "polyurethane" or "PUR" in ingredient lists.
7. Acrylates Copolymer: Extremely common in sunscreens, hair products, and cosmetics. Usually listed exactly as "acrylates copolymer" or "acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer."
8. Carbomer: A synthetic polymer used as a thickener in gels, creams, and lotions. While technically a polyacrylic acid, it raises microplastic concerns due to its synthetic polymer composition.
9. Polylactic Acid (PLA): Often marketed as "biodegradable plastic," but it does not break down in normal environmental conditions and still counts as a microplastic. Found in some "eco-friendly" packaging and personal care products.

Pro tip: Ingredients are listed in order of concentration. If any of these polymers appear in the first half of an ingredient list, the product contains a significant amount. If they appear near the end, the quantity may be smaller but still present.

For a deeper dive into microplastics hiding in beauty products, read our guide on microplastics in cosmetics.

Method 3: Check Certifications and Third-Party Ratings

Another reliable way to evaluate products is to look for trusted certifications and third-party safety ratings. While no single certification covers every microplastic concern, several organizations provide useful signals:

Certifications to Look For

• "Microplastic Free" Certified: A growing number of independent testing labs now certify products as free from intentionally added microplastics. Look for this label on cosmetics, personal care products, and cleaning supplies. Organizations like the Blue Angel certification in Germany and the Nordic Swan Ecolabel have begun incorporating microplastic-free criteria.
• EU Compliance Marks: The European Union has taken the global lead on regulating microplastics. As of late 2023, the EU banned intentionally added microplastics in products sold within the EU, with phased implementation through 2029. Products that carry EU compliance marks and are sold in EU markets must now meet these stricter standards, making them generally safer choices.
• EWG (Environmental Working Group) Ratings: The EWG Skin Deep database rates thousands of personal care and cosmetic products on ingredient safety, including synthetic polymers. Products with EWG ratings of 1-2 (low hazard) are generally safer choices. While EWG does not rate microplastics specifically, their polymer and ingredient flagging overlaps significantly with microplastic concerns.
• Zero Plastic Inside Logo: Issued by the Plastic Soup Foundation, this logo specifically certifies that a cosmetic product contains zero microplastics. It is one of the most targeted certifications available for this particular issue.

Keep in mind that certifications have limitations. Many smaller brands cannot afford the certification process even if their products are clean, while some certified products may still have microplastic contamination from packaging or supply chain sources. Use certifications as one data point among several.

Method 4: Research Brands Directly

Some brands have made public commitments to eliminating microplastics from their products. Doing a little research before you shop can save you time at the store. Here is what to look for:

• Check the brand's website for an official microplastic or sustainability policy
• Look for brands that have signed the "Beat the Microbead" pledge
• Search for brands on the Plastic Soup Foundation's product database
• Review whether the brand has reformulated products to remove synthetic polymers
• Check if the brand uses glass, metal, or certified compostable packaging instead of plastic

Brands in the natural and organic space -- particularly those certified by COSMOS, NATRUE, or USDA Organic -- tend to have fewer microplastic ingredients, though packaging contamination can still be a factor. Always verify specific products rather than trusting a brand name alone.

Product Categories You Should Be Checking

Not all product categories carry the same microplastic risk. Here are the five categories where checking matters most:

1. Cosmetics and Beauty Products

This is the single highest-risk category for intentionally added microplastics. Foundations, primers, exfoliating scrubs, lip products, mascara, eyeshadow, and glitter-based products frequently contain synthetic polymers. Studies have found that up to 87% of popular cosmetic products contain at least one type of microplastic ingredient. Read our full breakdown in microplastics in cosmetics: what you need to know.

2. Food and Food Packaging

Microplastics enter food through plastic packaging, processing equipment, and environmental contamination. Bottled water, canned goods with plastic linings, plastic-wrapped produce, and microwaveable containers are among the biggest contributors. Sea salt, honey, beer, and tap water have all been found to contain microplastics. For specific numbers and food-by-food analysis, check out our guide to microplastics in food.

3. Cleaning Products

Laundry detergents, dish soaps, surface cleaners, and air fresheners frequently contain synthetic polymer ingredients that function as binding agents, viscosity controllers, or encapsulation materials for fragrances. These microplastics wash down the drain and into waterways, but they also leave residues on the surfaces, dishes, and clothes you come into daily contact with.

4. Personal Care Products

Shampoos, conditioners, body washes, deodorants, toothpaste, sunscreens, and shaving products are common carriers of microplastic ingredients. Products marketed as "exfoliating" or "smoothing" deserve extra scrutiny, as the physical texture often comes from polyethylene or polypropylene microbeads. Even products that replaced visible microbeads may still contain dissolved or suspended synthetic polymers.

5. Baby Products

This is arguably the most important category to check. Baby bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers, teething toys, baby wipes, diaper creams, baby shampoos, and baby food containers can all contain or leach microplastics. Infants and toddlers are especially vulnerable because their bodies are still developing and they have a higher exposure-to-body-weight ratio than adults. Polycarbonate baby bottles, in particular, have been shown to release microplastics when heated.

What the Safety Scores Mean

Whether you are using the MicroPlastics app or evaluating products manually, it helps to understand what different risk levels look like. Here is how our A-F scoring system works:

Your goal should be to keep the products you use regularly in the A-B range. Occasional use of C-rated products is less concerning, but D and F products should be replaced as soon as possible, especially for items you use daily or that come into direct contact with food or skin.

Red Flags: Warning Signs to Watch For

Even before you scan a barcode or read an ingredient list, certain product characteristics should raise immediate red flags:

Packaging Red Flags

• Plastic containers with recycling codes 3 (PVC), 6 (polystyrene), or 7 (other/mixed) -- these are the most likely to leach microplastics
• Single-use plastic packaging, especially for food items that involve heat (microwaveable trays, hot drink lids)
• Plastic-lined paper cups and containers (the lining is typically polyethylene)
• Squeezable plastic tubes for food or personal care products
• Plastic packaging that appears scratched, degraded, or sun-damaged -- wear increases leaching

Ingredient Red Flags

• Any ingredient starting with "poly-" (polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, etc.)
• The word "copolymer" anywhere in the ingredient list
• Ingredients ending in "-ylene" or "-iloxane"
• Multiple synthetic polymer ingredients in the same product (compounding exposure)
• Vague terms like "fragrance" or "parfum" which can contain undisclosed synthetic polymer carriers

Marketing Red Flags

• "Microbead-free" claims -- the brand may have removed visible microbeads but still uses dissolved synthetic polymers
• "Natural" labels without third-party certification -- the word "natural" is unregulated in most countries
• "Biodegradable plastic" packaging -- most biodegradable plastics only break down in industrial composting facilities, not in nature or landfills

Step-by-Step: Checking a Product with the MicroPlastics App

Here is a complete walkthrough of the process from start to finish:

1. Open the MicroPlastics app and tap the scan button on the home screen. The camera will activate automatically.
2. Hold your phone steady and align the barcode within the scan frame. The app will recognize the barcode automatically -- no need to press a button.
3. Wait 2-3 seconds while the app retrieves product data and runs its AI analysis. A loading indicator will show the progress.
4. Review your safety score. The result screen displays the letter grade (A-F) prominently at the top, with a color-coded background so you can see the result at a glance.
5. Scroll down for details. Below the score, you will find the ingredient analysis, flagged concerns, exposure level estimate, and any relevant health information.
6. Check the alternatives section. The app suggests safer products in the same category, complete with their scores, so you can make an immediate switch.
7. Save or dismiss. Tap "Save to History" to add this product to your exposure tracking dashboard, or dismiss if you do not plan to purchase it.
8. Review your dashboard. Over time, your exposure tracking page will show trends and highlight which product categories are contributing most to your microplastic exposure.

The entire process takes under 10 seconds per product. Many users report scanning their entire pantry or bathroom cabinet in a single sitting and discovering surprising results about products they had trusted for years.

Taking Action: What to Do After Checking Your Products

Knowing which products contain microplastics is only half the battle. Here is how to act on what you find:

1. Prioritize high-contact products first. Replace D and F rated items that you use daily or that touch your skin or food directly. This gives you the biggest exposure reduction with the least effort.
2. Switch to glass, metal, or silicone alternatives for food storage, water bottles, and cooking containers. These materials do not leach microplastics.
3. Choose products with short, recognizable ingredient lists. The fewer synthetic ingredients a product has, the lower the microplastic risk tends to be.
4. Do not try to replace everything at once. Work through your products as they run out, replacing each one with a safer alternative. This is more sustainable both financially and mentally.
5. Use the app's exposure dashboard to track your progress. Watching your overall exposure score drop over time is a powerful motivator to keep going.

For a complete strategy on reducing your microplastic exposure across every area of life, read our comprehensive guide on how to avoid microplastics.

Start Checking Today

Microplastics are not going away anytime soon, but your exposure to them does not have to stay the same. By combining the speed and accuracy of the MicroPlastics app with the manual knowledge of reading ingredient labels, checking certifications, and researching brands, you can make genuinely informed decisions about every product that enters your home.

The most important step is the first one. Pick up your phone, download the app, and scan the product closest to you right now. You might be surprised by what you find -- and empowered by what you choose to do next.

Download the MicroPlastics app today and start scanning. Your health is worth the 10 seconds it takes to check.