Ingredient deep-dive

PPG (Polypropylene Glycol): Is It a Microplastic?

Medium concernPEG / glycol

Synthetic polymer in the propylene glycol family.

Use the app

Scan any product for PPG (Polypropylene Glycol) in 5 seconds

The MicroPlastics iOS app flags this ingredient and 24 others instantly. Paste a label into the free web ingredient checker first if you want a no-install scan.

Download on the App Store

PPG (Polypropylene Glycol), common questions

Is PPG (Polypropylene Glycol) a microplastic?

Yes: it is classified as a synthetic polymer. Synthetic polymer in the propylene glycol family.

Related ingredients

PEG (Polyethylene Glycol)

PEG / glycol · Medium concern

Synthetic polymer / surfactant family. Often contaminated with 1,4-dioxane during manufacture.

Ethoxylated emulsifier, one of the most common in lotions. Not a microplastic. The real question with PEGs is manufacturing purity, since ethoxylation can leave traces of 1,4-dioxane, a probable human carcinogen.

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

PEG / glycol · Low concern

Ethoxylated castor oil used to dissolve fragrance and oils into water. Plant-derived backbone, ethoxylated. Not a microplastic; the concern is 1,4-dioxane purity.

PEG-12 Dimethicone