While several federal laws allow the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take steps to address microplastics in the marine environment, the EPA has not prioritized microplastics research in recent years. However, on April 2, 2026, the EPA announced that it intends to designate microplastics as a “priority contaminant group” while devoting more than $100 million to researching microplastics in the human body.
In its April 2, 2026 announcement, the EPA wrote that, “microplastics contamination [is] one of the most urgent and growing public health challenges facing Americans.” Of course, microplastics contamination is also a concern for people worldwide. While some studies have identified human health risks linked to microplastics consumption, research in this area is still in its infancy.
This is also true of microplastics research in general.
Although awareness of the global microplastics problem is growing, the scope and impacts of the problem remain to be fully understood. While the impacts of microplastic consumption on human health absolutely warrant a substantial investment—and the EPA has stated that it is devoting more than $100 million to this research in the coming years—microplastics contamination presents numerous other concerns as well. Microplastics have been found in waters around the world, and it is critical to continue studying microplastics in the marine environment rather than focusing on their human health effects alone.
Why? Simply put, studying microplastics in humans (and, ultimately, finding a way to eliminate microplastics from the human body) does not address the root cause of the issue.
Until we eliminate microplastics from our drinking water, fisheries, and other critical marine resources, humans will continue to consume microplastics and experience their harmful effects. Sadly, completely eliminating microplastics from our environment may not be feasible. However, by gaining a better understanding of the scope of the problem and its greatest contributors, we can make changes that will allow for a cleaner and healthier environment—for humans and other living beings—over time.
The Current State of Microplastics Regulation in the United States
Currently, microplastics are largely unregulated in the United States. As stated in an article published in the Yale Journal on Regulation earlier this year:
“Despite their ubiquity, microplastics have largely escaped regulation. Apart from the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, which bans microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics, no federal legislation directly regulates microplastics. “
While there are federal laws that address marine pollution and drinking water safety, these laws do not address microplastics specifically. Two bills introduced in 2025 (H.R.4903 and H.R.4486) that were intended to specifically address issues related to microplastic contamination in humans failed to make it out of committee. The federal laws that are currently on the books and that have the potential to allow for regulatory oversight and enforcement related to marine microplastics contamination include (but are not limited to):
- Clean Water Act – The Clean Water Act regulates the discharge of pollutants in U.S. waters. While it does not address microplastics specifically, it has the potential to serve as a source of federal authority for microplastics regulation.
- Endangered Species Act – The Endangered Species Act prohibits “harm” to protected species, and this term had previously been interpreted broadly to include harm to protected species’ habitats. However, while the EPA is taking steps to expand protections for human health related to microplastics contamination, it has recently rescinded this broad definition of “harm.”
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Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 – As noted in the quote above from the Yale
Journal on Regulation, the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 bans the use of microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics and other personal care products. However, in practice, this ban is extremely limited, and many products that contain microbeads remain on the market today. - Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act – Commonly referred to as the Ocean Dumping Act, the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act prohibits dumping materials into the ocean that have the potential to unreasonably harm the marine environment or human health.
- Safe Drinking Water Act – The Safe Drinking Water Act is arguably the most direct source of federal authority for regulating marine microplastics contamination. The Safe Drinking Water Act serves as the source of authority for the EPA’s Contaminant Candidate List (CCL), which identifies “priority contaminant groups” that are subject to enhanced scrutiny and regulation.
- Save Our Seas Act 2.0 – The Save Our Seas Act 2.0 established the Marine Debris Foundation and a grant structure focused on waste reduction and cleanup in marine environments. However, in its current form, it does not directly address the need for additional research into the scope of the global microplastics problem—which is essential for identifying and addressing its root causes and the necessary means of remediation.
As you can see, there are significant opportunities for greater legislation and regulation at the federal level. While some states, most significantly California, have enacted legislation at the state level, here too, there is still much to be done.
Notably, we have seen some consumer lawsuits in the past couple of years related to harms caused by microplastics contamination—and, if this trend continues, the associated liability concerns could spur corporate efforts to limit the generation and release of microplastics. This litigation could potentially spur legislative and enforcement efforts by Congress, the EPA, and other governmental authorities as well. This litigation relies heavily on evidence of the existence of microplastics in the marine environment; and, here too, the more evidence that is available, the better.
EPA Designates Microplastics a “Priority Contaminant Group” Under the Safe Drinking Water Act
On April 2, 2026, the EPA announced that it is, “including microplastics as a priority contaminant group in its draft Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 6),” alongside pharmaceuticals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The EPA’s announcement goes on to state:
“The CCL is a critical tool under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that drives research, funding, and future decisions on regulating emerging threats to drinking water. By elevating microplastics . . . to priority group status, EPA is directly responding to the concerns of millions of Americans who have long demanded greater transparency and accountability about what is in their water.”
If the EPA’s proposal becomes final, this will lead to additional research—and potentially greater oversight—of microplastics as a human health concern in the United States. To prepare its proposal, the EPA worked alongside the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address the human health risks associated with microplastics contamination as part of the current administration’s Make America Healthy Again initiative. But, as noted above, this fails to address the root cause of the issue, meaning that it is not a solution to preventing human health risks going forward.
The Importance of Studying Microplastics in Marine Environments
While microplastics present human health risks, the global microplastics problem is fundamentally an environmental one. The risks to human health posed by microplastics are predominantly the result of environmental exposure through contaminated waters and marine ecosystems.
As a result, focusing on the human health effects alone is akin to pumping seawater out of a sinking ship. It does not fix the problem; and, on its own, it is not a long-term solution.
This is why studying microplastics in marine environments is essential. To truly address the global microplastics problem and its effects, we need to know the scope of the problem, and we need to know where it exists. Among other things, conducting on-the-water research will allow for:
- Identification of the concentration of microplastics in different marine environments (which is essential for identifying contamination sources and particularly high-risk areas)
- Identification of the specific microplastics contaminating different waters (which is essential for identifying specific human health risks)
- Identification of the specific sources of marine microplastic contamination (which is essential for advocating for change)
- Identification of the specific causes of human health risks (i.e., marine wildlife contamination vs. drinking water contamination)
- Identification of potential means of remediation based on concentration, location, and plastic types
- Evidence-based support for additional legislation, regulation, and corporate accountability through litigation
Again, these are just examples. Conducting marine microplastics research is important for lots of reasons, and it is a necessary component of a broader, sustained, and long-term effort to combat the global microplastics problem.
What We’re Doing to Shed Light on the Global Marine Microplastics Problem
Our work is focused on shedding light on the global marine microplastics problem. We conduct on-the-water research in inland, coastal, and offshore waters, and we have the scientific resources required to both calculate the concentration of microplastics in marine environments and identify specific microplastic contaminants. We conduct sampling on an ongoing basis, and we are working on publishing our findings through various means.
If you have questions about our work, or if you have a specific need for microplastics-related data, we invite you to get in touch.
About Following Seas Marine Impact Research
At Following Seas Marine Impact Research, we are studying the global microplastics problem through on-the-water sampling and data analysis. Our goal is to provide other organizations with the data and science they need to advocate for change and implement clean-up solutions. Join our mailing list to follow along, and consider donating or sponsoring us to support our efforts.