Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made for the implications of his policies of recent research that found micro- and nano-plastics in human organs; and if he will make a statement.

Public Health England (PHE) has made no assessment of the implication of recent research which reports a method for detection of micro- and nano-plastics in human organs. The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) is an independent scientific committee that provides advice to the Food Standards Agency, the Department of and other Government bodies on matters concerning the toxicity of chemicals. COT is currently considering the potential risks from exposure to microplastics in general and a Committee statement will be published when finalised.

PHE has an active research program on the impact of microplastics on human health as part of the Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU), Environmental Exposures and Health led by Imperial College London and PHE. The work from the HPRU will be reported in peer reviewed academic journals.