Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the health risks posed by (a) microplastics and (b) plastic-related toxins to (i) people and (ii) ecosystems.

Under the 2022/23 UK REACH Work Programme, Defra initiated a research proposal to investigate the risks of intentionally added microplastics. The evidence project has reviewed their emissions, and the risks they pose both to human health and the environment. It also included a socio-economic assessment. Defra published this report on 12 May 2025. Defra and the Welsh and Scottish Governments are considering its findings.

The Environment Agency (EA) has identified areas of key research that will assist policymakers in developing targeted, proportionate, and effective interventions to minimise the impacts of microplastics on the environment.

The EA continues to support the water industry and National Highways with microplastics investigations and options appraisal for minimising microplastics releases from infrastructure. Additional collaboration with academia ensures understanding of environmental risk and regulatory development is informed by strong scientific evidence.