North Carolina Microplastics Study Act.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 871

Short Title: North Carolina Microplastics Study Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Price, Butler, K. Brown, and Harrison (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 10, 2025
*H871-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO DIRECT THE NORTH CAROLINA COLL ABORATORY TO STUDY T HE 2
NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF THE PRESENCE OF MICR OPLASTICS IN THE WAT ERS 3
OF THE STATE AND TO RECOMMEND STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING THE 4
NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF MICROPLASTICS. 5
Whereas, microplastics can be ingested by aquatic organisms, transferring toxic 6
chemicals into their tissues; and 7
Whereas, microplastics accumulate in food chains, impacting a wide range of species, 8
disrupting reproductive systems and ecological balance; and 9
Whereas, microplastics can carry pathogens and pollutants, potentially spreading 10
diseases and contaminants throughout waterways; and 11
Whereas, contaminated drinking water and seafood containing microplastics pose 12
potential health risks to humans; and 13
Whereas, microplastics break down into nanoplastics, which are even harder to detect 14
and remove, making cleanup efforts challenging and contributing to long -term waterway 15
pollution; and 16
Whereas, the presence of microplastics in waterways degrades water quality and 17
biodiversity, threatening the overall health of aquatic ecosystems; Now, therefore, 18
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 19
SECTION 1.(a) Title. – This act shall be known and may be cited as the North 20
Carolina Microplastics Study Act. 21
SECTION 1.(b) Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this act: 22
(1) Collaboratory. – The North Carolina Collaboratory at the University of North 23
Carolina at Chapel Hill. 24
(2) Inland waters. – Permanent water bodies inland from the coastal zone and 25
areas whose properties and use are dominated by the permanent, seasonal, or 26
intermittent occurrence of flooded conditions. 27
(3) Macroplastics. – Plastic particles greater than 5 millimeters in size. 28
(4) Microplastics. – Plastic particles between 1 nanometer and 5 millim eters in 29
size. 30
(5) Nanoplastics. – Plastic particles less than 1 nanometer in size. 31
(6) Plastic particles. – Plastics that include macroplastics, primary microplastics, 32
secondary microplastics, nanoplastics, and raw plastic materials. 33
(7) Primary microplastics. – Plastics that are intentionally manufactured at small 34
sizes. Examples include cosmetic beads, glitter, seed coatings, and pellets or 35
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 871-First Edition
nurdles (small, round, lens - or disc -shaped plastic pieces between 2 and 5 1
millimeters). 2
(8) Raw plastic materials. – Plastics transported as pellets or nurdles before being 3
melted and molded into other plastic-based products. 4
(9) Secondary microplastics. – Raw plastic materials or macroplastics that have 5
been broken down into microplastics by various environmental pathways. 6
SECTION 1.(c) Purpose. – The Collaboratory shall investigate the potential impact 7
of plastic particles on waters of the State and develop strategies to address the impacts of plastic 8
particles. To help guide the Collaboratory's work, the General Assembly finds that: 9
(1) Although substantial scientific research on plastic particles exists, further 10
research will complement and support continuing efforts to reduce plastic 11
particle pollution. 12
(2) In addition to the development of a long-term statewide strategy, early actions 13
to prevent and reduce known impacts of plastic particles to the marine 14
environment should be pursued. 15
SECTION 1.(d) Staffing and Support. – The Department of Environmental Quality 16
shall provide staff support to the Collaboratory. Ad ditional staff may be hired or contracted by 17
the Collaboratory through funds raised by or provided to it. The duties and compensation of any 18
additional staff shall be determined by and fixed by the Collaboratory, within available resources. 19
SECTION 1.(e) Collaboration. – The Collaboratory shall complete its functions and 20
duties in collaboration with the State Division of Water Resources and other interested 21
governmental entities. The Department of Environmental Quality shall cooperate with the 22
Collaboratory and, upon request, shall assist the Collaboratory in fulfilling its responsibilities. 23
SECTION 1.(f) Duties. – The Collaboratory is charged with the following duties: 24
(1) Identify plastic particles within the State's waterways. 25
(2) Research the harmful impact plastic particles have on the ecosystem. 26
(3) Collaborate with interested stakeholders and research institutions. 27
(4) Develop strategies to address the dangers of plastic particles. 28
(5) Implement strategies to prevent the future introduction of plastic particles into 29
the waterways and to reverse existing harm. 30
SECTION 1.(g) Tasks. – The Collaboratory's tasks and deliverables include: 31
(1) Conduct research and planning related to the control of plastic particles within 32
the waterways of the State. 33
(2) Enter into contracts or agreements, including cost -sharing agreements, with 34
public or private agencies for research and development of methods of control 35
of plastic particles. 36
(3) Act for the protection and conservation of rivers, lakes, estuaries, tributar ies, 37
inland ecosystems, coastal waters, beaches, and ocean ecosystems. 38
(4) The development of a comprehensive prioritized research plan that includes 39
research that will support the development of risk assessments for plastic 40
particles in the marine environment habitat types of North Carolina. 41
(5) The development of standardized methods for sampling, detecting, and 42
characterizing plastic particles. 43
(6) The characterization of ambient concentrations of plastic particles in the 44
marine environment and an assess ment of the associated environmental 45
impacts, by plastic particle age, size, shape, type, and location. 46
(7) An investigation of the sources and relative importance of pathways 47
associated with the environmental impacts of plastic particles determined to 48
be significant pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection. 49
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 871-First Edition Page 3
(8) The development of a risk assessment framework for plastic particles based 1
on the best available information on exposure of plastic particles to organisms, 2
including humans, through pathways that impact the marine environment. 3
(9) Research on approaches for reducing the introduction of plastic particles into 4
the marine environment from significant pathways of exposure, with an 5
emphasis on the sizes, shapes, and types of plastic particles that are associated 6
with significant environmental impacts. 7
(10) Use of the risk assessment framework developed pursuant to subdivision (8) 8
of this subsection to evaluate options, including source reduction and product 9
stewardship techniques, barriers, costs, and benefits. 10
(11) Recommendations for policy changes, including statutory changes, or 11
additional research that may be needed. 12
SECTION 1.(h) Report. – The Collaboratory shall submit a comprehensive report 13
with findings, a detailed risk assessment, and recom mended actions to the Joint Legislative 14
Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources and the 15
Environmental Review Commission by July 1, 2026. 16
SECTION 2. Funding. – Effective July 1, 2025, there is appropriated from the 17
General Fund to the Collaboratory the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) to 18
fund the work associated with the study of plastic particles on the waters of the State, including 19
research initiatives, public hearings, stakeholder meetings, and report de velopment. The 20
Collaboratory may explore potential partnerships or federal grant opportunities to supplement 21
research and study efforts. 22
SECTION 3. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 23
law. 24