U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to be more aggressive when it comes to plastic waste and pollution. He wants the federal government to phase out the purchase of single-use plastic items.
The EPA has set a series of initiatives to eliminate plastic waste from land-based sources by 2040 in the U.S., but Blumenthal said on Friday the agency needs to do more now.
“Microplastics are a macro problem,” he said. “They accumulate in our waterways. They also are found in human blood and lungs where they can cause health damage.”
Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic that are 5 millimeters or smaller, and have been found in fish and marine life, as well as in human tissue and blood. The plastics can cause health problems as they accumulate over time.
Blumenthal warns plastics are being used in more products.
“The amount of plastics production in the last 20 years has doubled,” he said. “That trend is continuing, and it spells trouble for our environment. Because microplastics are in effect the broken-down particles of larger items like clothing, plastic forks, wrappers, packaging.”
