Politicians are no longer staying on the sidelines for the microplastics conversation.
The latest evidence is a petition led by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy that asked the Environmental Protection Agency to get the wheels turning on monitoring microplastics in tap water.
WHYY reported on the bid to add the troublesome particles to the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rules that featured Murphy and six other governors.
Microplastics, originating from the millions of tons of plastic produced annually, are widespread and have been detected in human blood, remote parts of the Earth, and in drinking water sources. While our current understanding of their risks is incomplete, there are concerning studies linking them to a variety of health conditions.
As of now, there is an absence of a clear public policy regarding them in drinking water, and they aren't looked for by most providers, per WHYY. If the EPA adds microplastics to the contaminants list, it will expand our grasp of their prevalence and risks, and monitoring will begin in 2027.
"We need more epidemiological studies. In order to do epidemiological studies, you need the exposure data," Philip Demokritou, a professor of nanoscience and environmental bioengineering at Rutgers University, told WHYY.
Considering what we're learning about microplastics, that is becoming inarguable. Studies are linking them to gut and reproductive issues and an increased risk of cancer. Meanwhile, they show up everywhere, and we currently have a poor handle on them in our drinking water.
Microplastics in tap water will pose a uniquely difficult adversary, and the process from monitoring to potential intervention will take years, not months. Demokitrou pointed out the challenges of testing for them, and the uncertainty of determining what level of them is dangerous.
Even once that's established, subsequently finding a way to rid water of them efficiently and effectively is its own can of worms. Right now, experts say many water providers don't have the wherewithal to pick up microplastics in their water supplies and remove them.
Still, Demokritou stressed the importance of the EPA entering the fact-finding mission as we grapple with how to address and assess microplastic pollution in the water.
"Everyone is entitled to know what's in the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe," Demokritou concluded to WHYY.
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