The number of states who have banned the use of microbeads in personal care products is growing, with California being the most recent to join the trend. California and New Jersey laws expand their bans to include biodegradable microbeads; Johnson & Johnson and Proctor & Gamble both opposed the California law. The Personal Care Products Council, a trade group for the cosmetics industry, came out in support of several state bills. The following is a snapshot of current state bans:
| State | Date Enacted | Effective date | Scope |
| California | October 8, 2015 | Jan. 1, 2018 (manufacture of personal care products); Jan. 1, 2020 (sale of over-the-counter drugs) | Does not allow biodegradable microbeads |
| Colorado | March 26, 2015 | Jan. 1, 2018 (manufacture of personal care products); Jan. 1, 2020 (sale of over-the-counter drugs) | Allows biodegradable microbeads |
| Connecticut | June 30, 2015 | Jan. 1, 2018 (manufacture of personal care products); Jan. 1, 2020 (sale of over-the-counter drugs) | Allows biodegradable microbeads |
| Illinois | June 8, 2014 | Jan. 1, 2018 (manufacture of personal care products); Jan. 1, 2020 (sale of over-the-counter drugs) | Allows biodegradable microbeads; excludes prescription drugs |
| Indiana | April 15, 2015 | Jan. 1, 2018 (manufacture of personal care products); Jan. 1, 2020 (sale of over-the-counter drugs) | Allows biodegradable microbeads |
| Maine | March 11, 2015 | Jan. 1, 2018 (manufacture of personal care products); Jan. 1, 2020 (sale of over-the-counter drugs) | Allows biodegradable microbeads |
| Maryland | May 12, 2015 | Jan. 1, 2018 (manufacture of personal care products); Jan. 1, 2020 (sale of over-the-counter drugs) | Allows biodegradable microbeads. |
| New Jersey | March 12, 2015 | Jan. 1, 2018 (manufacture of personal care products); Jan. 1, 2020 (sale of over-the-counter drugs) | Does not allow biodegradable microbeads. |
| Wisconsin | July 1, 2015 | Jan. 1, 2018 (manufacture of personal care products); Jan. 1, 2020 (sale of over-the-counter drugs) | Allows biodegradable microbeads ; excludes prescription drugs |
Industry leader Unilever has announced a full stop to the use of microbeads in its products, while Proctor & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, and Johnson & Johnson report an intent to stop use by 2017. Likewise, many large retailers have already removed microbeads from in-house brands or announced intentions to do so in the near future.
At the Federal level, the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2014 (H.R. 4895) which would ban sale and distribution of cosmetics containing plastic microbeads, died in Congress; Rep. Frank Pallone re-introduced The Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 (H.R. 1321) on March 4, 2015 and it has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Finally, researchers are investigating whether chemicals from microbeads eaten by fish transfer into fish meat, and the potential human health effects, if any, following consumption.