We speak with former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck about her new book, The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late.

“Scientists have found microplastics in our blood, our kidneys, our lungs,” says Enck. “They’ve been found in heart arteries, and if it’s attached to plaque, you have an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, premature death.” Enck says plastic is a “political” issue shaped by the powerful “chemical, fossil fuel, plastics industry — and consumer brands.”