Industry Executives Knew For Decades That Microplastics Were Infiltrating the Human Body

Industry experts have been aware for at least five decades that microplastics are infiltrating the human body, according to internal company documents obtained by The Los Angeles Times. Scientists today acknowledge that they are only beginning to comprehend the adverse effects of the minute plastic particles we consume, drink, and breathe on human health.

Recent chemical company documents from the past several decades reveal that industry scientists have long been aware and concerned about the microplastics' ability to migrate from the gut into vital organs in both animals and humans. This knowledge emerged from a 1974 scientific meeting in New York City, where a German gastroenterologist presented a paper showing that ingested particles, including microplastics, could infiltrate the rest of the body for the first time.

This information was largely ignored by government scientists but sparked discussions among company scientists. Tracey Woodruff, a professor at Stanford University, reviewed the documents and noted that these findings indicate major chemical companies' scientists and executives were aware of the issue but chose to remain silent while microplastics accumulated in tissues.

The situation is reminiscent of how other industries, such as those dealing with greenhouse gases, asbestos, and tobacco, have known about pollutants but failed to act to make products safer. A spokesperson from the American Chemistry Council, the largest trade group in the chemical industry, disputed this characterization, stating that scientific debate over the evidence is not silence but rather the process by which sound science and effective policy advance.

The industry is committed to advancing microplastics science by supporting independent research and policies that facilitate this advancement.