This came in today from Environment America:
| It’s bad enough that researchers keep finding plastic trash blocking the digestive tracts of dolphins. Or “shocking” levels of smaller plastic particles, known as microplastics, in sea turtles.1Now scientists are finding microplastics in people too, and they’re growing increasingly concerned about the impacts on our health.That’s why we’re urging the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Microplastics Safety Act, which would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to study the impacts of microplastic exposure on human health.2Add your name. Tell your U.S. House representative to support the Microplastics Safety Act today.Research suggests microplastics in people could lead to inflammation, lung and liver effects, and a disturbing list of other health problems. But the researchers need to do more. And given increasing plastic and pollution, we can’t wait long for the answers.Just as a turtle doesn’t know that it’s eating a plastic bag instead of a jellyfish, most of us don’t know that we’re ingesting plastic dust from plastic-wrapped tomatoes and peppers, plastic water bottles or even the air we breathe.3 Nor do we know what all this plastic is doing to our health. We’re guinea pigs in a massive science experiment that nobody authorized.Researchers have found links between microplastic consumption and health issues ranging from inflammation to rising rates of cancer and more.4,5 But they need to do much more research to determine how strong these links are — and how worried we should be.The Microplastic Safety Act would help fill this knowledge gap by directing the FDA to conduct a comprehensive study of the impacts of microplastics on our health. And this bill has something rare in Congress these days: bipartisan support.Will you tell your U.S. House representative to help protect our health from microplastics?The Microplastics Safety Act wont stop the flow of plastic waste and pollution into our environment and our bodies. But it could result in powerful new evidence for why we must stop this pollution — not only to save sea turtles and dolphins, but people, too.Congress has an opportunity to take a step in the right direction to help us all better understand how microplastics affect human health. Ignoring the threat of microplastics to our health is unacceptable.Urge your U.S. House representative to support the Microplastics Safety Act today.Thank you,Lisa Frank Executive Director 1. Rob Hutchins, “‘Shocking’ levels of microplastics found in sea turtle organs,” Oceanographic, January 4, 2025. 2. “Bynum introduces legislation to examine the impacts of microplastics,” Office of Congresswoman Janelle Bynum, July 17, 2025. 3. Grace Vickers, “Studies show how microplastics from packaging get into our food,” PIRG, July 21, 2025. 4. Nina Agrawal, “What Experts Want You to Know About Microplastics,” The New York Times, May 20, 2025. 5. Beth Dougherty, “Microplastics and Cancer: Your Questions Answered,” Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, March 7, 2025. |
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