WASHINGTON (July 1, 2026) – California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has listed microplastics as a candidate chemical in its Safer Consumer Products (SCP) program. The following may be attributed to Kimberly Wise White, Ph.D., vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs at the American Chemistry Council (ACC):
“ACC supports California’s SCP program and its goal of advancing science-based chemical safety in consumer products. Unfortunately, by listing microplastics as a ‘candidate chemical’ in California’s SCP program, DTSC has strayed beyond the statute. Additionally, DTSC's overly broad listing results in unnecessary regulatory uncertainty and could divert the department's attention from previously identified priority chemicals and products.
“Unlike chemicals and classes of chemicals DTSC has evaluated previously under the SCP program, microplastics are not a single chemical or a well-defined chemical family. Rather, they are a broad category of particles and fibers that vary by size, shape, polymer type, source, additives and exposure pathway. Treating them as one chemical category would make it difficult to evaluate hazard, exposure or alternatives in a scientifically meaningful way.
“Put another way, broad material categories are not the same as chemical categories. It would be inappropriate to evaluate aluminum, stainless steel, lead and mercury as one chemical category simply because they are all metals. Each has different properties, uses, exposure pathways, and hazards. Microplastics pose the same challenge: they cannot be meaningfully assessed as a single uniform chemical category.
“ACC has consistently worked to advance the science on microplastics. With our global counterparts we have supported more than 100 microplastic researchers worldwide, convened scientists to strengthen the body of research, and are contributing to research on standardized materials and methods, environmental behavior, and human health. Additionally, ACC continues to call on Congress to pass the Plastic Health Research Act (PHRA), which would establish a coordinated approach to microplastics research across federal agencies and support sound, science-based policymaking.
“ACC urges DTSC to reconsider this listing and instead work with microplastics experts on a science-based approach to evaluate and address microplastics. California can lead on this issue, but getting it right requires clear definitions, reliable and reproducible measurement methods, comparable exposure data, and source-specific research.
“ACC stands ready to work with the state to advance effective policy on this important issue.”
