Illinois designates industrial microplastics as pollutants

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed legislation, HB 4418, officially designating industrial plastic granules, known as nurdles, as pollutants. This move makes Illinois the first state in the Great Lakes region to hold plastic producers accountable for spills that enter rivers and lakes.

Under the new law, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is tasked with developing and implementing stormwater pollution control measures specifically designed to prevent these pre-manufactured plastic pellets from reaching waterways. The legislation aims to require companies that generate such pollution to establish plans to prevent microplastics from entering the state's rivers and lakes, including the Mississippi River.