Assembly Health Committee Passes Legislation to Study Microplastics in Drinking Water

In a recent move, the Assembly Health Committee in California has passed legislation sponsored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino to study the health impacts of microplastics in drinking water. The bill requires the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to examine microplastics in both tap and bottled water and establish testing standards.

This effort is part of Portantino’s ongoing environmental initiatives, which also include the 2018 California Safe Drinking Water Act and a bill focused on researching microplastic pollution in marine environments. Supporters of the legislation include California Environmental Voters and Californians Against Waste.

The legislation falls under the Sherman Food, Drug and Cosmetic Law, which regulates the manufacture, production, processing, and packaging of food, drugs, devices, and cosmetics. This law sets standards for quality and labeling in bottled water and vended water, as well as limits on certain contaminants in these products.

Under this bill, a primary drinking water standard for microplastics would be established in bottled water. Additionally, an annual report on the levels of microplastics in source water used in bottling would be required. This would provide consumers with more information about the safety of their drinking water and help to protect public health from potential harm caused by exposure to microplastics.