Speaker: Katie Pelch

Description: Microplastics are everywhere in our environment. These tiny and sometimes microscopic particles of plastic are present in our air, water, soil, and food; in lakes, rivers, and oceans; even at the top of Mount Everest. Microplastics are also in our bodies, with scientists finding them everywhere from the human heart and brain to testes and placentas. There is a growing concern that microplastics could be harming ecological and human health, in particular digestive, reproductive, and respiratory systems. This talk will highlight the recent findings on microplastics and human health and provide recommendations for reducing exposure.

Bio: Katie Pelch envisions a world free of harmful chemicals, where communities have access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water and safe consumer products. She is currently a Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) where she works at the intersection of science and policy aims to reduce and eliminate harmful chemicals from the environment. Much of her work to-date has focused on PFAS and microplastics in drinking water and consumer products. Prior to joining NRDC, she was an assistant professor in the School of Public Health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center and a senior scientist at the Endocrine Disruption Exchange. Pelch received her PhD in biology from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Office of Health Assessment and Translation at the National Toxicology Program.