3 Emerging Risks: Microplastics, 3D Printing and Heat Pumps

We often take for granted the resources and materials that help us run our businesses and build our homes. Steel, cement, plastic — building blocks such as these have afforded us the flexibility to grow our communities, create new products, and power innovation. But we’re also beginning to understand their potential costs and consequences.

The growing worries over microplastics pollution, in addition to the latest developments in 3D-printed construction and home heating, are three emerging risks that could impact insurers today and in the future.

Tiny Pellets, Big Problems

For years, scientists and environmental watchdogs have been ringing alarm bells over the tiny — often microscopic — plastic materials known as microplastics. Due to their size and ubiquity, microplastics can enter the environment through various pathways — via the manufacturing process, for instance, or through the environmental breakdown of plastic products such as water bottles.

Microplastics have been found piling up in oceans and along shorelines, and have been detected in both bottled and treated tap water. These plastics have been found in soil and food supply chains, and recent research has identified these tiny plastics throughout the human body.

New research may be shedding more conclusive light on the potential health risks. A March 2024 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy treatment within whom micro- or nanoplastics had been detected were at an elevated risk for a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke as compared to those with no evidence of plastics.

Tracking the many potential exposure pathways for humans may prove uncertain, however. Verisk recently conducted a comparative analysis of data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), which found a heavy concentration of microplastics along the U.S. East and Gulf coasts.

Though several counties surveyed showed both high concentrations of microplastics and elevated rates of heart disease, others revealed normal or below-average rates. And though they have been identified throughout our seas and oceans, measuring marine microplastics is only one way to estimate possible human exposure.

Several U.S. states are beginning to track microplastics. For example, California regulators mandated in 2022 that approximately 30 of the state’s largest water systems conduct quarterly testing over a two-year period. Other states have followed suit, passing laws mandating drinking water testing.

Litigation regarding plastics and microplastics appears to be in its infancy. To date, there have been just two notable settlements involving plastics manufacturers regarding microplastics pollution of nearby environments amounting to more than $50 million in total. But since January, at least seven class-action suits have been filed against businesses over alleged false advertising vis-a-vis the presence of microplastics in their products.

Is 3D-Printed Construction Ready for Primetime?

3D-printed buildings have been hailed by some as a solution to America’s affordable housing crisis. Whether the technology can fulfill such lofty ambitions remains to be seen, but 3D printing appears to be slowly gaining momentum in the construction industry, and its potential impact on property insurers isn’t quite clear yet.

The emerging construction technology is projected to grow into a $3.3 billion industry by 2031 — up from $1.2 billion in 2021. It may take many years still before 3D-printed commercial buildings are a routine feature of America’s built environment, but it’s not too soon to begin considering the possible implications of this technology as it matures.

3D printing creates structures by laying material down, layer-by-layer, generally without the use of tooling, dies or fixtures. In the construction industry, the “printers” generally employ three different methods. Extrusion printers may be attached to robotic arms and cranes and layer material via a nozzle. Powder bonding uses powdered material either melted with a laser on an object layer-by-layer or adhered using a liquid that binds the material together. Finally, spraying is an additive technique that, as the name suggests, sprays material via a high-velocity jet.

This construction method offers a range of benefits — such as speed, customizable construction methods, and eco-friendly materials — but is not without its drawbacks. It’s difficult, for instance, to determine the long-term durability and performance of 3D-printed buildings, and the materials used to print them. How a building is printed also appears to influence its ability to withstand fire, and questions remain about the long-term structural integrity of buildings erected using this novel technique — not to mention the likely building code obstacles it faces.

Potential Concerns of Residential Heat Pumps

Homeowners looking to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs are starting to turn to heat pumps. While these systems have several benefits, there may be issues insurers should consider as the number of heat pumps increases.

Recently, governors in 24 states have committed to installing 20 million residential heat pumps by 2030. Beyond that boost from state officials, the Inflation Reduction Act has directed federal tax incentives toward homeowners who install heat pumps. Last year, heat pump sales eclipsed gas boilers in the U.S. and have outsold gas boilers for three of the past four years. While heat pumps are only installed in approximately 16% of U.S. homes, sales have been growing at a rate of 15% a year.

At a high level, these systems capture outdoor air, extract and amplify the heat from it using a refrigerant, and then disperse that heat — either into a single room or, in multi-zoned systems, across an entire residence. They typically have a pair of coils: one outdoors to capture the air and one indoors to help distribute it. This process can also be reversed, enabling heat pumps to double as air conditioners.

Heat pumps are significantly more efficient than fossil fuel-based heating options, according to research, and could produce carbon-busting benefits for our environment. A study examining California households, for example, suggested that a switch from natural gas to electric options such as heat pumps could yield a reduction of up to 54% in greenhouse gas emissions.

These products do invite some potential fire risks, however. Starting in 2025, all residential heat pumps (and air conditioners) are required to use a new class of refrigerants called A2Ls. These chemical substances have a similar toxicity designation (low toxicity) as the refrigerants they’re replacing, but they’re also more flammable. Home heating is the second leading cause of residential fires, behind cooking, so any changes in the makeup of home heating appliances will likely influence the future trajectory of residential fire risk. Heat pumps nevertheless appear to pose a lesser residential fire threat than those presented by other heating methods, such as heating stoves, furnaces and baseboard heaters.

Because they’re generally situated outside of a structure, heat pumps can be exposed to natural perils. With prices ranging from $7,000 to $14,000 or more, depending on the size, feature set, and energy efficiency — the cost to repair or replace these units may be a consideration.

Whether it’s the potential risk of fire of home heat pumps, the structural integrity of 3D-printed buildings, or the potential for litigation involving microplastics, these three issues should be on insurers’ radar as they continue to develop.