Dear NRDC Activist,

It’s impossible to escape microplastics. Social media and wellness outlets are bombarding us with advice — avoid bottled water, skip nonstick pans, toss plastic cutting boards — as more research exposes how these microscopic plastics threaten our health. Even NRDC released a consumer guide to help people like you protect yourself.

But here’s the truth: It shouldn’t fall on consumers like us to figure out which products are safe. They should be safe.

That’s why we’re calling on the FDA to regulate microplastics in items we use to cook and drink from every day. Producers and manufacturers must be held accountable for their products. Send your letter to the FDA today.

Microplastics are the result of larger plastic products breaking apart over time. And they’re entering our food and water in multiple ways:

• Plastic containers. Scientists have found that heating food in plastic packaging and/or containers releases plastic particles and harmful plastic chemicals into food.
• Plastic water bottles. A recent study found that consumers who drank bottled water instead of tap water ingested substantially more microplastics every year.
• Nonstick pans. Nonstick cookware coated with PTFE, better known as Teflon, was found to release millions of microplastics and nanoplastics when scratched during use.

And that’s just direct exposure. Microplastics are also polluting our soil, crops, livestock, and seafood — meaning eating or drinking them is virtually unavoidable.

That can change, starting with the FDA holding plastic producers accountable. Send your letter now — for the health and environment of future generations.

Sincerely,

Renée Sharp
Director, Plastics and Petrochemical Advocacy, Environmental Health, NRDC