(a) The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment shall study the health effects of microplastics, consistent with Section 116365, in drinking and bottled water to evaluate toxicity characteristics and levels of microplastics in water that are not anticipated to cause or contribute to adverse health effects, or to identify data gaps that would need to be addressed to establish those levels. The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment shall provide biennial status updates that may contain the compilation of findings from the study into a report and post the final report on its internet website.
(b) After taking into consideration the findings published pursuant to subdivision (a), the State Water Resources Control Board may request that the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment prepare and publish a public health goal, pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 116365, for microplastics in drinking water.