The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has urged the public not to panic over a recent study that detected microplastics in several toothpaste brands sold in the country, advising consumers to maintain proper oral hygiene and avoid swallowing toothpaste.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, BSTI said no toothpaste brand or product should be declared unsafe or substandard before the findings are scientifically and legally verified.
The statement comes after the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO), a private research organisation, reported detecting microplastics in 26 of 34 toothpaste samples tested. BSTI said it is treating the findings with utmost importance because of their potential implications for public health and the environment.
According to BSTI, microplastics are plastic particles measuring 5 millimetres or less that are generally invisible to the bare eye. The World Health Organization (WHO said that microplastics are an emerging environmental and public health concern, although there is still no conclusive scientific evidence on their health risks. It stressed that further research is needed.
The press release also outlined international regulatory developments. It noted that the United States banned the intentional use of plastic microbeads in rinse-off cosmetic products, including toothpaste, under the Microbead-Free Waters Act in 2015. The European Union has given manufacturers until October 17, 2027, to phase out the use of intentionally added microplastics in such products.
However, BSTI said neither South Asian countries, including India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, nor international standards organisations have established a maximum permissible limit or a standard testing method for microplastics in toothpaste.
The agency said toothpaste manufacturers and importers in Bangladesh are required to obtain licences under BDS 1216:2012 Specification for Toothpaste before producing or marketing their products. Under government regulations, licences are issued only after products undergo chemical, microbiological and safety testing.
BSTI further said the country's approved list of 81 ingredients for toothpaste manufacturing does not include microplastics. It also evaluates manufacturers' quality control systems before granting licences, making the intentional use of microplastics unlikely.
The standards body stressed that the detection of plastic particles alone does not prove they were intentionally added by manufacturers or that they pose a risk to human health. Determining the particles' type, source, concentration and potential health risks requires further scientific analysis, it added.
As part of its review, BSTI has requested ESDO to provide the study's full report, testing methodology, raw data and other relevant documents. It is also collecting information from the manufacturers and importers concerned on raw materials, product ingredients and the use of synthetic polymers.