Microplastic Health Risks: Sen. Merkley Questions Dr. Woodruff on EPA Chemical Review and Research

Chemical Approval Process and EPA Challenges

• ⚠️ A new jet and boat fuel chemical poses such a high cancer risk that nearly everyone exposed is expected to develop cancer.
• 📉 The approval process for such chemicals can be hindered by political interference and vast understaffing at the EPA.
• 📚 Studies submitted by manufacturers are often incomplete, leading to delays as the EPA requests more data.
• 📉 Thousands of new chemicals have been approved under amended TSCA, but concerns remain about the EPA's capacity to evaluate them effectively.

Microplastic Health Impacts

• 🔬 Research indicates microplastics are suspected to increase risks of adverse effects on the gut, respiratory system, and reproductive health, including reduced sperm quality.
• 📈 Microplastics may also be increasing the risk of colon and lung cancer.
• 🧪 Many additives in plastics, such as phthalates and bisphenols, have known adverse health effects, including impacts on male and female reproductive health, preterm birth, and neurodevelopmental toxicity.
• ⚠️ Less than 5% of the 16,000 chemicals used in plastics have good information available regarding their health impacts.

Importance of EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD)

• 💡 The Office of Research and Development (ORD) conducts essential research to understand chemical toxicity and protect public health.
• 🆘 ORD scientists are crucial for responding to environmental emergencies like spills and terrorist events, as demonstrated by their work during the anthrax scare and in East Palestine.
• 🔍 They develop methods to detect toxic chemicals in the environment and have identified sources of contamination, such as PFAS in drinking water supplies.
• 📉 Dismantling ORD would reduce the availability of high-quality, unbiased science and diminish the ability to respond to environmental threats.