The Problem: A recent study by the University of Rhode Island revealed that the bottom of Narragansett Bay is covered in microplastics – roughly 1,000 tons of tiny plastic bits that can infiltrate our water, our environment, and even our bodies!
Microplastics can come from the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic litter and debris in the environment, but sometimes microplastics are also intentionally added to products. For example, microplastics are found in some agricultural products like seed coatings and fertilizers, detergents, some cosmetics and fragrances, paints and coatings, waxes, and polishes. We don't currently require testing for microplastics from wastewater treatment facilities, stormwater, or even drinking water, so it’s hard to know the scope of the problem.
In order to clean up this plastic mess, we need to know where the microplastics are coming from and prevent even more plastic pollution from entering the Bay!
The Solution: Clean Water Action supports legislation that would do 2 things:
- Ban intentionally added microplastics from products.
- Require the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to create a plan to do more testing for microplastics in the environment, so we can better understand the problem and make informed decisions about how to fix it.
Take action! Send a message to your RI state legislators asking them to protect our waterways from microplastic pollution!
