Sorry parents, fruit waste glitter is still a pain to clean up

In the United Kingdom, scientists at Cambridge University have developed biodegradable glitter made from nanocrystals of cellulose extracted from fruit waste.

The sustainable sparkle solution can be used in any application that currently uses glitter, such as cosmetics and crafts, but is free of microplastics and metals that make conventional glitter bad for the environment.

“Conventional pigments, like your everyday glitter, are not produced sustainably,” said Cambridge Department of Chemistry Professor Silvia Vignolini, who led the team that developed the new glitter. “They get into the soil, the ocean and contribute to an overall level of pollution. Consumers are starting to realize that while glitters are fun, they also have real environmental harms.”

Silvia did warn parents, however, that the fruit-based glitter will be just as annoying to clean up as its conventional counterpart.