CHARLOTTE — North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and 13 other attorneys general are urging the Environmental Protection Agency to mandate the monitoring of microplastics in drinking water.
This push comes despite the EPA’s recent decision to add microplastics to its Contaminant Candidate List, as the coalition believes more needs to be done to protect public health, according to a release.
Research indicates that microplastics could endanger human health by causing cellular and tissue damage and by serving as carriers for other toxic chemicals. Humans frequently encounter these contaminants through drinking water, other beverages, air and food. Studies have identified microplastics in tap and bottled water globally and their concentration in water is projected to double by 2040.
“Everyone deserves clean drinking water,” said Jackson. “I’m glad the EPA is taking steps to do more research on microplastics, but that’s not enough. We want them to go further and require monitoring for these contaminants in our water supply.”
The coalition also encouraged the EPA to establish a framework for regulating microplastics. This framework would include creating a consistent federal definition for microplastics, mandating the collection and monitoring of data and developing effective methods for detection, characterization and treatment.
Attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Delaware, D.C., Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin joined Jackson in signing the letter.