EPA proposes monitoring 30 unregulated chemicals in drinking water but omits microplastics, sparking concern
By
Bec Roldan, special to C&EN
Summary
The EPA has proposed a new rule to monitor 30 unregulated chemicals in US drinking-water systems, including ultrashort PFAS, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds. However, the rule notably omits microplastics from the monitoring list, drawing concerns from environmental advocates and researchers who argue that microplastics pose a growing health risk and should be included in federal water-quality monitoring efforts.
Source
bskyEPA proposes monitoring 30 unregulated chemicals in drinking water but omits microplastics, sparking concerncen.acs.orgKey quotes
· 3 pulledThe omission of microplastics from the monitoring rule is a significant gap that fails to address a growing concern for public health and the environment.
We need to understand what's in our drinking water, and microplastics are an emerging contaminant of concern that deserves attention.
This rule represents an important step forward for monitoring unregulated contaminants, but it should be more comprehensive.
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