Study finds microplastics in 26 of 34 toothpastes sold in Bangladesh, including children's brands

The organisation has tested toothpastes manufactured in Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Vietnam

The Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) has found microplastics in 26 of the 34 toothpaste samples it tested from the Bangladeshi market, including four of six toothpastes marketed for children.

The findings were released at a media briefing at the organisation's office in Dhaka's Lalmatia on Sunday.

According to ESDO, microplastics were detected in 76.5 percent of the toothpaste samples, with between 20 and 320 plastic particles found in every 100g.

Among children's toothpastes, four of the six samples tested contained between 20 and 140 microplastic particles per 100g.

The study analysed 34 toothpaste samples from 19 brands manufactured in Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Vietnam at the Environmental Health and Ecotoxicology (EHE) Laboratory of Jahangirnagar University's Department of Environmental Sciences.

Microplastics were found in 22 of the 25 samples manufactured in Bangladesh, one of five from India, one of two from Thailand and both samples from Vietnam.

The remaining eight toothpaste samples tested negative for microplastics.

Alongside the laboratory tests, ESDO surveyed 2,760 consumers across the country and interviewed regulatory and scientific experts to assess public awareness and policy challenges surrounding microplastics in oral care products.

The study found that none of the toothpaste packaging or labels disclosed the presence of microplastics or synthetic polymers, leaving consumers unaware of what they were using and making regulatory oversight more difficult.

Although almost all respondents said they used toothpaste regularly, 41.9 percent were unaware that oral care products could contain microplastics, while only 26.9 percent said they knew such products may contain the tiny plastic particles.

ESDO said the study was not intended to single out any particular brand or manufacturer, but to highlight the issue scientifically at a time when Bangladesh has no national standards, permissible limits, testing guidelines or labelling requirements for microplastics in toothpaste.

Speaking at the briefing, the organisation’s Chairperson Syed Margub Morshed said: “Good policies are developed based on reliable scientific data. This is the first scientific study on microplastics in toothpaste in Bangladesh, which will play an important role in formulating standards, effective regulation and protecting consumers and the environment in the future.”

Responding to the findings, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) Deputy Director Monjurul Karim said the agency currently has a list of 40 approved ingredients for toothpaste, but microplastics are not included.

He said BSTI was considering the issue and would amend the relevant statutory regulatory order (SRO) to include criteria or a maximum permissible limit for microplastics in toothpaste.