microplastics

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.

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 report that ordinary cleaning sponges shed trillions of microplastic fibers during everyday use, adding a previously underappreciated source of plastic pollution to household wastewater. The finding has sparked discussion about how much plastic people unknowingly release into the environment through routine chores, and whether sponge alternatives might be safer.