Lawmakers introduce microplastics legislation

Reps. Hood, Paiz seek to limit an emerging, widespread pollutant

What do the guts of fish, the bloodstreams of humans and the deep waters of Lake Superior have in common? Many microplastics have been found in them.

Michigan Reps. Rachel Hood (D-Grand Rapids) and Veronica Paiz (D-Harper Woods) introduced legislation in November to give Michigan the science and strategy it needs to understand and appropriately manage these pollutants. 

Plastics do not biodegrade; they only break into smaller pieces. Microplastics are pieces less than five millimeters, and they can be produced this size or broken down from larger fragments. While microplastics have long existed, their extent and their threats are still emerging.

Rep. Hood’s House Bill 6163 would create a statewide microplastics research and monitoring plan created in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE) and Michigan colleges and universities. The plan would assess the environmental, health and economic impacts of microplastics; identify their sources and develop solutions to reduce the pollutant’s presence. 

“This policy ensures that Michigan stays at the forefront of protecting our water and health,” said state Rep. Hood. “By collaborating with universities and colleges and leveraging scientific research, we can better understand the sources of microplastics and take meaningful steps to mitigate their impact on Michigan’s water. Michiganders are the stewards of the greatest source of freshwater in the world—we need to act now to safeguard our Great Lakes and the well-being of future generations.”

Rep. Paiz’s House Bill 6164 would establish a microplastics monitoring program for Michigan’s drinking water. Quarterly tests by EGLE would detail the quantity, sources and types of microplastics and propose policies to limit their spread, such as toxicity limits and public protections.

“This legislation is about protecting our health and environment by understanding the true impact of microplastics in Michigan’s drinking water,” said Rep. Paiz. “With regular monitoring by EGLE, we can pinpoint the sources, types and levels of microplastics, which is the first critical step toward enacting policies that safeguard public health and keep our water clean. This bill prioritizes transparency and safety for all Michigan residents.”

A 2024 Alliance for the Great Lakes study found that over the course of 14,000 beach cleanups over 20 years, 86% of litter found was plastic and 40% were microplastics. 

The items did not just come from beachgoers. A 2016 Rochester Institute of Technology report found that 22 million tons of plastic enter the Great Lakes yearly, often directly from industry or from tributaries where stormwater runoff is picked up.

“”First-time volunteers are often surprised at the large amount of colorful microplastics they find washing up on our Great Lakes shorelines during cleanup events,'” said Hannah Tizedes, founder and executive director of The Cleanup Club. “It’s rare to leave one of our community beach cleanups without finding hundreds, if not thousands, of microplastics. We find lots of tiny fragments—some broken down from larger plastics through wind, waves and sun rays— all posing a threat to the water we swim in, we drink from and that wildlife calls home.”

The impact goes beyond a polluted environment. Microplastics can slip into drinking water, contaminating wildlife and humans alike. Studies suggest microplastics can carry harmful pollutants, potentially affecting the immune, reproductive and endocrine systems when ingested or inhaled.

“Microplastics are not only a persistent threat to our waterways and ecosystems but also to human health,” said Samantha Pickering, public and environmental health policy coordinator for the Michigan Environmental Council. “Many short- and long-term health impacts from plastic are unknown. These tiny particles have been found in marine life, drinking water and even the air we breathe. Michiganders serve as guardians of the Great Lakes that provide drinking water to over 40 million people, so it’s important to establish research strategies—like in these bills—to develop a foundation for understanding this emerging contaminant.”

Reps. Hood’s and Paiz’s bills come on the heels of a $2 million state investment and employee hiring for microplastics work.