Technical Review of Microbeads/Microplastics in the Chesapeake Bay

At the request of the Chesapeake Bay Commission (CBC), a STAC-sponsored technical review panel was originally tasked to write a report describing the scientific evidence regarding plastic microbeads (synthetic plastic particles that are roughly 5μm to 1mm in size) as it relates to microplastic (synthetic plastic less than 5 mm in size) contamination, in general, and in the Chesapeake Bay, in particular. As the panel’s review progressed, their scope and charge evolved. This evolution was due in part to the December 2015 signing of the federal Microbead-Free Waters Act. In its report, the review panel addressed questions regarding the fate and transport of microbeads, their potential impact in the environment, the availability of removal and treatment technologies, and the potential urgency of the microbead/microplastics issue in the Bay watershed.