US agencies to monitor drinking water for microplastics, pharmaceuticals
By Valerie Volcovici
Published on April 2, 2026.
The US Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Health and Human Services have announced plans to monitor the impact of microplastics and pharmaceuticals on drinking water. This move is part of President Donald Trump's "Make America Healthy Again" agenda, which includes reducing the number of recommended childhood vaccines and promoting whole foods in new dietary guidelines. The EPA will now include microplastic and pharmaceutical on the sixth Contaminant Candidate List, which would allow them to be tested and monitored under the Safe Drinking Water Act and receive funding for research if they threaten public water systems. The agency will also release human health benchmarks for 374 pharmaceuticals.
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