Plastics Industry Knew Microplastic Risk

Internal memos and company documents show chemical and plastics firms were aware for decades that microplastic particles can move beyond the gut and deposit in human organs. The revelation reframes microplastic contamination from an emerging scientific worry to a legacy corporate‑knowledge problem with regulatory, liability and public‑health consequences. — If companies knew and did not act, this shifts discussion from scientific uncertainty to questions of corporate responsibility, regulation, and compensation for exposure.