What's the big deal about microplastics?

By Evan Dawson,

Published June 15, 2026 at 2:42 PM EDT

Five people wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a woman front left has long dark hair and is wearing a white blouse with a brown geometric pattern and brown pants; a woman front right has short brown hair and is wearing a red jacket with a white pattern, red shirt, black pants and black shoes; a woman back left has long red hair and is wearing a black blazer over a beige shirt; a man back right has short dark hair and is wearing a plaid button-down shirt; a man at center has very short greying hair and is wearing eyeglasses, a blue button-down shirt, blue jeans and brown shoes. — (foreground) Christy Tyler and Katrina Korfmacher, (background) Jen Lunsford and James Roussie with host Evan Dawson on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Monday, June 15, 2026

Microplastics are everywhere – in our water, in our food, and in our bodies. And while they are often the subject of headlines and new stories, researchers say there’s still a lot to learn about how they may harm us.

According to local experts, Rochester is a hot spot for the study of microplastics and health.

This week, experts from across the country will be in town for a symposium exploring the latest research, challenges, and next steps for understanding how microplastics get into our environment and our bodies. Our guests preview that event and explain what we need to know about microplastics and protecting our health.

In studio:

Katrina Korfmacher, Ph.D., professor of environmental medicine and public health sciences at the University of Rochester and co-director of the Lake Ontario MicroPlastics Center
Assemblymember Jen Lunsford, District 135
James Roussie, Ph.D., chief scientific officer and co-founder of SiMPore
Christy Tyler, Ph.D., professor of environmental science in the Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences at the Rochester Institute of Technology and co-director of the Lake Ontario MicroPlastics Center