EPA takes first step to regulate microplastics in drinking water
WASHINGTON - Tiny fragments of plastic have been found in nearly every organ in the body, including the brain and lungs. For the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency is adding these microplastics to a list of drinking water contaminants the agency is considering for future regulation. The EPA, which is required to publish the contaminant list every five years, released a draft of the sixth installment Thursday. The draft list also includes pharmaceuticals (such as antibiotics, antidepressants and hormones), disinfection byproducts (which form when chlorine reacts with organic materials in water), and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (known informally as “forever chemicals”). PFAS and disinfection byproducts were on the list published in 2022. Once the list is finalized and published, the EPA will decide whether to set national limits on the levels of the contaminants allowed in public drinking water. While Thursday’s action is an initial step toward removing microplastics from drinking…
2 Apr 00:00 · Inlandnewstoday