EPA Addresses Microplastics and Pharmaceuticals in the Water Supply
Every five years under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) the EPA must publish a list of contaminants that are not currently regulated in our water supply. This list is called the Contaminate Candidate List (CCL). Once a contaminant is put on the list and the list is published it can lead to funding, research, and discussion on if the contaminant will need to be regulated under the SDWA.
This year the sixth list (CCL 6) was just opened for public comment on April 2nd, and expected to be published in November of 2026. CCL 6 features four contaminant groups: microplastics, pharmaceuticals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs), and disinfection byproducts. Both PFAs and disinfection byproducts were listed under CCL 5 published in 2022. Microplastics and pharmaceuticals were included for the first time.
The presence of both contaminants have recently been well documented in different watersheds. In a USGS study pharmaceuticals have been found in 95% of streams with some urban land use. Microplastics are in our air, water, and food. Studies have shown that in a liter of bottled water there is an average of 325 plastic particles.
The addition of these contaminants on CCL 6 opens up the opportunity of research into the long-term effects they might have. With more research, there can be more opportunities for regulation of harmful contaminants in our water supply.
Flathead Recycling Services
The Daily Interlake published a piece written by Taylor Inman on recycling in the Flathead Valley titled “Talking Trash: A Look at Recycling Services in the Flathead Valley”. It speaks on the weak access to recycling services in the state of Montana and the Flathead Valley. Inman interviews different recycling operations throughout the valley, highlighting the struggles of sorting, contamination, and the plastic cycle.