Bipartisan lawmakers want Washington to study microplastics health risks
A bipartisan group of lawmakers in Washington wants Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to do a comprehensive study of the human health risks of microplastics exposure.
Two Democrats and two Republicans announced July 17 that they've introduced the Microplastics Safety Act, which directs the Food and Drug Administration to issue a report to Congress within a year examining the effects of microplastics exposure from food and water on cancer, chronic illness, the endocrine system, reproductive health, and children's health.
It also asks for policy recommendations.
In a statement, Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., said the study would close gaps in scientific knowledge in the federal government, and he pointed to a study from the American Heart Association that he said showed "significantly higher" rates of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease in counties with high levels of marine microplastics pollution.
"For years, the federal government buried its head in the sand while microplastics infected our water and food supply," Steube said. "Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota Counties have all been flagged as high-risk areas for microplastic exposure, with alarming rates of chronic illness and disease.
"Yet the FDA still tells Americans not to worry," he said. "This is unacceptable. Americans deserve to know what they're being exposed to, how it's affecting their health, and what Washington plans to do about it."
The other sponsors are Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Ore.
The legislation comes after Kennedy and President Donald Trump's Make America Healthy Again Commission issued a report in May suggesting that chemicals in plastics and microplastics could play a role in chronic diseases in the United States.
As well, Trump's surgeon general nominee, Casey Means, has spoken out against what she sees as the health risks from exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in plastics.
Scott said he was "deeply concerned" about the potential impacts of microplastics on human health.
"Microplastics have been found throughout the human body, including in the blood, liver, placenta, and even brain tissue, and have been linked to serious health conditions such as cancer, endocrine disruption, and chronic illness," Scott said. "As exposure continues to grow through food, water, air, and everyday products, this legislation will help ensure we're guided by sound science to protect public health and our next generation."
Similarly, Bynam said the federal government should move quickly on the report.
"We can't take a wait-and-see approach here — it's time to be proactive," she said. "We've got to get a handle on how microplastics are getting in our food, beverages, and everyday items, and figure out how they're affecting our health."
The American Chemistry Council called on Congress to bring other federal agencies into the review.
"Given the cross-cutting nature of this issue, it's critical that any federal effort to study microplastics coordinates with the full range of relevant agencies and third-party experts—not just HHS—to ensure a comprehensive and balanced approach that does not overlook important expertise and perspectives," said Kimberly Wise White, vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs at ACC.
"The bill introduced today gives the FDA a broad remit to study a highly complex issue within a one-year deadline, which makes it even more important that any conclusions are based on credible research, properly cited sources, and scientific objectivity," she said.
The Plastics Industry Association did not comment directly on the legislation but said the industry is collaborating with governments and others on research, including developing biodegradable polymers and capture technology.
"We support robust scientific research to better understand the sources of microplastics, and to advance standardized methods for their detection, characterization, and study—ensuring results are both replicable and relevant," the association said.
Steube's statement said there's a lack of federal government research on microplastics and that "FDA still claims there is no evidence that microplastics in food and water pose a threat to human health."
"The federal government has never conducted a formal study on how microplastics in food and water affect human health," his statement said. "There is no government data, no health risk assessment, and no plan in place. This bill fills that gap."