microplastics

New research suggests that even if the flow of plastic into the oceans were halted by 2050, microplastic accumulation in marine environments could continue. Larger plastic already in the water would keep breaking down into microscopic fragments, meaning legacy pollution alone could sustain microplastic levels for decades. The finding raises questions about whether international efforts to curb plastic pollution would deliver the ocean benefits many expect.

Researchers have found that common household cleaning sponges shed trillions of microplastic fibers during normal use, raising fresh concerns about plastic contamination in homes and waterways. The findings suggest everyday cleaning products may be a far larger source of microplastic pollution than previously assumed, prompting calls for consumers and manufacturers to reconsider sponge materials and disposal habits.

Oregon Congresswoman Janelle Bynum has joined a request asking Congress to conduct a formal review of the Environmental Protection Agency's regulation of microplastics. The move pushes for closer congressional scrutiny of how the EPA assesses and controls microplastic pollution, a growing public health and environmental concern in US waterways and drinking water.