The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced major federal actions to combat microplastics in drinking water and human health on Apr. 6, with RTI International staff attending the event as invited guests.
Microplastics have become a growing concern due to their widespread presence in air, food, water, and even within the human body. These particles originate from larger plastics breaking down in landfills and waterways, releasing additives that pose risks to both ecosystems and public health.
At the event, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. outlined steps including adding microplastics to the EPA’s Six Contaminant Candidate List (CCL6). This list now includes 75 chemicals, four chemical groups—including microplastics—and nine microbes as new contaminants of concern. The addition is expected to prioritize research funding and inform potential regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
RTI Research Environmental Engineer Hannah Lohman said, “It was very encouraging to witness this historic moment for the advances of microplastic research and to hear firsthand from the invited expert researchers. The room was filled with a sense of reverence, acknowledging what this could mean for the future of scientific research.” Leah Johnson, Senior Director of Biomedical Technologies at RTI added: “As a scientist focused on understanding the impact of nanoplastics on human health, it was powerful to see this issue elevated to a national priority and to be part of that moment… I’m excited to help lead our RTI team in deepening the understanding of micro- and nanoplastics and in translating that knowledge into solutions that drive meaningful, real-world impact.”
The draft CCL6 highlights several research gaps related to microplastics: establishing a health-based definition; validating analytical methods for detection; assessing risks from co-occurring substances; and identifying pollution sources within drinking water systems.
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency within HHS, also introduced STOMP—Systematic Targeting Of MicroPlastics—a $144 million nationwide program supporting two phases: developing gold-standard detection methods for monitoring exposure risk by material type; then preventing exposure or removing microplastics from vulnerable populations such as pregnant women or children.
RTI International brings experience in contaminant monitoring across U.S. communities—from protecting classrooms against lead exposure through aging infrastructure to tracking PFAS contamination—and has committed decades toward standardizing laboratory testing protocols across environmental analytes including those related to plastic pollution.
