The recent report in the Courant (“CT research finds environmental trade-offs of biodegradable plastics” Feb. 1) highlights a frustrating reality: we are searching for green alternatives to a plastic crisis we haven’t even fully measured yet.
While we debate the merits of biodegradable forks, millions of microplastic particles are
infiltrating our drinking water.
This is why Gov. Ned Lamont’s recent petition to the EPA is so critical. By joining six other states to demand that microplastics be included in the next round of federal monitoring (UCMR 6), Lamont is fighting for our right to know what is in our taps.
Research shows that even “eco-friendly” plastics can fragment into tiny particles that
bypass current filtration systems. Without the national testing standard that the governors’ petition calls for, we are left guessing at the health impacts on our children and ourselves.
The EPA has a legal obligation to respond to this multi-state request. As Connecticut residents, we should applaud this move toward science-based transparency and urge the EPA to grant the petition.
We cannot manage what we do not measure.
Susan Eastwood, Ashford