Senator Portantino Introduces Legislation to Study Health Impacts of Microplastics in Drinking Water

Senator Anthony J. Portantino, who represents Pasadena, has filed a legislative proposal aimed at safeguarding public health. His bill, SB 1147, seeks to address the growing concern surrounding microplastics in drinking water.

Microplastics, which are minuscule particles originating from plastic waste, have infiltrated various environmental compartments, including rain, soil, and air. Their presence in drinking water raises critical questions about potential health impacts. Portantino’s bill aims to shed light on this issue and pave the way for informed action.

A statement from Portantino’s office said an unsettling average of 325 pieces of microplastics were detected per liter of bottled water in 2018. The statement said this alarming statistic underscores the urgency of understanding the risks associated with these tiny pollutants.

SB 1147 is proposing that the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) delve deeper into the health effects of microplastics in drinking water. The study should include not only tap water but also bottled water, the statement said.

The bill also requires the OEHHA to identify safe and unsafe thresholds for microplastics. By January 1, 2026, the OEHHA should be able to submit to the State Water Resources Control Board public health standards and goals that will guide efforts to mitigate the risks posed by microplastics. The State Water Board must adopt and implement the established public health standards and goals by January 1, 2028, the bill said. Local water agencies should be provided these guidelines as well.

To maintain vigilance, the bill will require the state board to institute testing and reporting requirements for annual assessments of microplastics in all bottled water sold within the state.

“Research increasingly shows that the rapid proliferation of microplastics poses an existential threat to human health and the environment,” Nick Lapis, Director of Advocacy for Californians Against Waste, said. “This measure builds on the pioneering work of Senator Portantino’s SB 1422 and SB 1263 to go beyond testing and planning to actually adopt protective standards for the water we drink, and it can’t come fast enough.”

Under existing law, the California Safe Drinking Water Act, the State Board is required to adopt a definition of microplastics in drinking water, a standard methodology to be used in the testing of drinking water for microplastics, and requirements for four years of testing and reporting of microplastics in drinking water, including public disclosure of those results.