Microplastics May Join List of Contaminants in Drinking Water
Getty/Greggory DiSalvo
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it is proposing, for the first time, to add microplastics and certain pharmaceuticals to a federal watch list of substances found in drinking water. The move could eventually lead to limits on those contaminants for public water systems.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the proposal responds to growing concern among Americans about plastics and pharmaceutical residues appearing in their drinking water. The action is also seen as a victory for the “Make America Healthy Again” movement led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which has spent months urging Zeldin to take stronger action against environmental contaminants.
The proposal involves updating the EPA’s Contaminant Candidate List, a catalog of substances detected in drinking water that are not currently regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The agency released a draft of the sixth version of the list and opened a 60-day public comment period. Officials expect to finalize the updated list by mid-November.
Speaking at EPA headquarters, Zeldin said drinking water safety is one of the most personal issues facing American families. Research in recent years has found microplastics not only in drinking water but also in parts of the human body, including the heart, brain, and testicles. Scientists are still studying the health implications, but many say the findings raise concerns.
There is also increasing attention on pharmaceutical compounds that enter water systems after being excreted by people who take medications. Standard wastewater treatment plants often cannot fully remove these substances before the water returns to the environment.
The Contaminant Candidate List helps guide research priorities, funding decisions, and potential regulatory action. However, substances on the list rarely move on to become fully regulated under federal drinking water standards. Earlier this year, the EPA said it would not pursue regulations for nine contaminants it had recently reviewed.
Some environmental advocates say the listing process rarely leads to actual restrictions. Erik Olson of the Natural Resources Defense Council said the announcement marks only the beginning of a lengthy process that often ends without new rules.
Still, others who want stronger action on plastic pollution say adding microplastics to the list is an important first step. Judith Enck, a former EPA regional administrator, said placing microplastics on the list could eventually lead to regulations limiting them in public drinking water supplies.
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