- A group of 16 Democratic sent a letter to the EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) urging them to develop a more robust national response to the problem of microfibers in the environment.
- Microfibers are strands shed from synthetic clothing during laundering and are the most common type of microplastics pollution in the environment. According to the letter, microplastic exposure through drinking water, air, and food pose a threat to human health. Studies have shown that they can lead to reproductive disease, sperm epimutations, and obesity.
- The AGs urge the EPA and NOAA to explore the use of Clean Water Act programs and standards to address microfiber pollution, encourage development and implementation of microfiber filtration systems in residential and commercial washing machines, and conduct research and studies on the harms to the environment and human health caused by microfiber pollution.