One in four nurseries want to ban glitter from classrooms, survey finds

It follows concern about the effects of microplastics on marine wildlife

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Almost a quarter of nurseries across the country want to ban glitter from classrooms over environmental concerns, a new survey has found.

It comes amid mounting concern globally about the effects of plastics on marine wildlife after it was revealed that the majority of glitters are made from non-degradable plastics.

Since the discovery that these substances may pose a threat to ecology late last year, more and more nurseries have come out in support of an outright ban.

In November, pre-school care chain Tops Days Nurseries announced that it would introduce a ban after realising the harm glitter can have on the environment.

“You can see when the children are taking their bits of craft home and there’s glitter on the cardboard, it blows off and into the air and on to the road, and it’s only a tiny little bit, but we’ve got 3,000 children and they’re all doing Christmas craft at the moment, so we’ve got glitter everywhere,” Cheryl Hadland, managing director of Tops Days Nurseries, previously stated.

Now, a new survey of nursery workers by reviews website daynurseries.co.uk has revealed that 22 per cent were in favour of banning glitter entirely.

The poll questioned 1,092 nursery owners, managers and workers between January and March this year.

That being said, the data also highlights that the vast majority – almost 78 per cent - of nursery staff said they would not like to see their own nursery ban the microplastic.

"We have it on our craft bar, but it isn't used excessively," Karen Elizabeth Hatton, who runs Wilderness Pre-School in Guildford, Surrey, told the Press Association.

"There are some things that need watching - for example, we have banned nuts as they are dangerous to children - and there are environmental issues around glitter, but we won't be banning it."

Upon learning that most nurseries still plan on using glitter, Hadland admits she is “sad rather than surprised.”

“I would have had the same opinion only six months ago. I believe that when colleagues in education, and indeed more humans, understand what damage we are doing to the environment - with microplastics and one-use plastics - that they will start to do whatever they can in order to protect our world for our children and for tomorrow."