US: EPA Fails to Take Meaningful Action on Microplastics.
Food & Water Watch condemns EPA for failing to include microplastics in proposed drinking water monitoring program.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a draft of the Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6), which sets forth which contaminants the agency will require monitoring for in drinking water. The draft rule shows that EPA does not plan to require monitoring for microplastics over the next five years.
In response, Food & Water Watch Water Policy Director Mary Grant issued the following statement:
“The proposal from EPA to delay monitoring of microplastics in our drinking water for at least five more years is disgraceful. The current research on microplastics has repeatedly shown how disastrous this crisis is. We need comprehensive monitoring data now to know how prevalent these contaminants are in our drinking water. EPA must reconsider its position and add microplastics to the final rule.”
This announcement follows years of advocacy from Food & Water Watch and other environmental and public health groups who have pressured EPA to monitor for microplastics in drinking water.
