PHILADELPHIA, PA — Microplastics were detected in all 22 rivers and streams tested across the Delaware River watershed, according to a new PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center study documenting plastic contamination in waterways that provide drinking water to more than 14 million people.
Researchers collected samples from the Delaware River and tributaries in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Delaware. The samples were tested at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.
The findings indicate microplastic contamination extends throughout the multi-state watershed, from the Delaware Water Gap to the Delaware Bay.
“This study shows that the extent of microplastic pollution in our waterways is significant,” said David Velinsky, senior scientist at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.
Velinsky cited potential risks to aquatic organisms from ingesting plastics and from chemicals and other contaminants that can attach to the particles.
Microplastics are plastic particles measuring less than 5 millimeters. The particles can be ingested by wildlife and can carry contaminants including PFAS chemicals and PCBs, according to the report.
The Delaware River watershed supports hundreds of animal species in addition to serving as a drinking-water source for millions of people. Microplastics have also been detected in human bodies, though the study focused on contamination in the watershed rather than measuring human health effects.
“From the Delaware Water Gap to the Delaware Bay, every waterway we tested contained microplastics,” said Lizzy Mulvenna, clean water associate for Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center.
The report calls for reducing plastics entering the environment through policies including producer-responsibility and bottle-deposit legislation, restrictions on certain single-use plastics and limits on the dumping of pre-production plastic pellets known as nurdles.
“There is no silver bullet solution for the mini-menace of microplastics,” said Faran Savitz, zero waste advocate at PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center. “Fundamentally, we need to cut plastic pollution off at the source and change the way society deals with our waste.”
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.