Existing European Union regulations are not adequately halting the proliferation of microplastics across the human body, as detailed in a fresh analysis issued on Wednesday, 22 July, by the Plastic Soup Foundation together with Green Impact.

Utilizing evidence from peer-reviewed research, the analysis indicates that microplastics and nanoplastics appear in human blood, breast milk, lungs, brain tissue, placentas, and urine samples from children.

The document cautions that this broad distribution signals a mounting public health concern and advocates for more robust EU interventions.

“Europe has the scientific evidence and holds the political mandate to protect public health. What is missing is the ambition to legislate at the pace the science demands,” said Gaia Angelini, president of Green Impact.

The analysis surveys data connecting micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) to various health impacts seen in mammal research, such as gut issues, heart and reproductive harm, nerve toxicity, and metabolic interference.

“It is a public health emergency that the EU’s 2024-2029 legislative cycle has a unique opportunity to address,” said Maria Westerbos, founder of the Plastic Soup Foundation.

Per the analysis, the key processes seem tied to oxidative stress, inflammation, and direct physical harm, though conclusive human data is still sparse and needs additional investigation.

The analysis further explores indications that micro- and nanoplastics could play a role in cancer progression via several pathways noted in preliminary studies.

It points out that MNPs show up more in human lung, colorectal, and prostate cancer tissues compared to normal ones, while noting uncertainty if this shows accumulation or a direct cause.

One highlighted study looked at 1,000 children aged six to nine. The research (Dong et al., 2025) identified a notable link between microplastics in urine - especially polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) - and behavioral difficulties.