Steube and Bynum Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Investigate Health Risks of Microplastics
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Greg Steube (R-Fla.) and Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.) today introduced bipartisan legislation requiring the FDA to begin studying the health impacts of microplastic exposure in food and water. This bill addresses growing concerns regarding the link between microplastics and serious health conditions affecting coastal communities in the United States.
“For years, the federal government buried its head in the sand while microplastics infected our water and food supply,” said Rep. Steube. “Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota Counties have all been flagged as high-risk areas for microplastic exposure, with alarming rates of chronic illness and disease. Yet the FDA still tells Americans not to worry. This is unacceptable. Americans deserve to know what they’re being exposed to, how it’s affecting their health, and what Washington plans to do about it.”
“We can’t take a wait-and-see approach here – it’s time to be proactive. We’ve got to get a handle on how microplastics are getting in our food, beverages, and everyday items, and figure out how they’re affecting our health.” said Rep. Bynum. “I’m all about the data. That’s why I’m teaming up with Senator Merkley, Senator Scott, and Representative Steube to get the information we need to keep our constituents – and all Americans – safe and healthy.”
This legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Rick Scott (R-Fla) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore):
“I’m deeply concerned about how microplastics may be impacting the health of Americans – particularly vulnerable groups like our youth. As chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, I’m also especially focused on the long-term harm microplastics pose to aging Americans,” said Senator Rick Scott. “Microplastics have been found throughout the human body, including in the blood, liver, placenta, and even brain tissue, and have been linked to serious health conditions such as cancer, endocrine disruption, and chronic illness. The Microplastics Safety Act is a critical step toward understanding the full scope of these risks. As exposure continues to grow through food, water, air, and everyday products, this legislation will help ensure we’re guided by sound science to protect public health and our next generation.”
“Most of us have been taught the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Too often, the reality for plastics is really the three Bs—buried, burned, and borne out to sea—as dangerous chemicals are seeping into our soil, air, and water,” said Senator Merkley. “Microplastics threaten human health and our environment, and our bipartisan effort will ensure the federal government better understands the dangers they pose, ensuring a healthier planet and future for all Americans.”
Background:
The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the FDA Commissioner, to study the effects of microplastic exposure on cancer, chronic illness, the endocrine system, reproductive health, and children’s health. It also requires a report to Congress within one year detailing the findings and policy recommendations.
The federal government has never conducted a formal study on how microplastics in food and water affect human health. There is no government data, no health risk assessment, and no plan in place. This bill fills that gap.
A recent American Heart Association study found significantly higher rates of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease in counties with very high marine microplastic levels. That list includes all three counties in Florida’s 17th District: Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota. The MAHA report, issued by HHS Secretary Kennedy, also identified microplastics as an emerging concern, yet no federal agency has ever conducted a formal study on the issue. The FDA still claims there is no evidence that microplastics in food and water pose a threat to human health.
Rep. Steube previously co-sponsored the bipartisan MICRO Plastics Act to monitor plastic pollution in waterways and has long championed clean water and coastal health in Congress.
Read the full bill text here.
