Mace Introduces PURGE Act on Microplastics

The bill would direct the EPA to study and test ways to remove microplastics from the environment.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Environmental

Mace Introduces PURGE Act on Microplastics

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Should the federal government fund research into removing microplastics from water?

U.S. Representative Nancy Mace introduced the PURGE Act, which would direct the Environmental Protection Agency to study and test solutions for removing microplastics. Researchers have found microplastics in nearly all environmental samples.

Why it matters

Microplastics are present in rivers, oceans, and seafood, and a study found them in 99 percent of seafood samples taken off the coast of Oregon. The bill proposes federal testing of removal and prevention strategies across the country.

A study found microplastics in 99 percent of seafood samples taken off the coast of Oregon, a figure drawn from that study's sampling rather than a national survey. The proposed five-year EPA pilot's results on removal effectiveness are not yet known.

The players

Nancy Mace

Nancy Mace is a U.S. Representative from South Carolina who introduced the PURGE Act.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The Environmental Protection Agency is the federal agency that would lead the proposed microplastics testing pilot.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a federal science agency that would coordinate on the proposed effort.

U.S. Geological Survey

The U.S. Geological Survey is a federal science agency that would coordinate on the proposed effort.

The details

The PURGE Act would instruct the EPA to test strategies for engineering plastics that do not break down into microplastics in marine environments, as well as methods for removing microplastics through filtration and capture. The bill would carry out this work through a five-year pilot program across different environment types, with NOAA, the U.S. Geological Survey, and state governments coordinating on the effort.

A final report would be due to U.S. Congress within one year of the pilot's completion.
The EPA pilot program would run for five years.

Roadmap

The PURGE Act would move federal policy from documenting microplastic pollution toward testing removal and prevention methods through a five-year EPA pilot. The proposal would coordinate NOAA, the U.S. Geological Survey, and state governments on that testing.

If enacted, the pilot program would test ways to keep plastics from breaking down into microplastics in marine environments. The results could inform future decisions about filtration and capture methods for waterways and seafood.

The takeaway

Microplastics are already present in nearly all environmental samples, so the proposed testing focuses on whether removal and prevention are workable. The outcome of the pilot would determine which strategies merit further federal attention.