October 29, 2026
Ms. Tlaib (for herself, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Waters, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Carson, Ms. Norton, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, and Ms. Bynum) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to include certain nanoplastics and microplastics on a certain list of unregulated contaminants published pursuant to the Safe Drinking Water Act, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Monitor Microplastics Now Act
.
Sec. 2. Monitoring program for certain unregulated contaminants under Safe Drinking Water Act
(a) In general
(1) In general
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall include the substances described in paragraph (2) in the sixth publication of the list of unregulated contaminants under section 1445(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–4(a)(2)(B)(i)).
(2) Substances described
The substances described in this paragraph are nanoplastics and microplastics that are not subject to a national primary drinking water regulation.
(3) Exception
The substances included on the list of unregulated contaminants pursuant to paragraph (1) shall not count toward the limit of 30 unregulated contaminants under section 1445(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–4(a)(2)(B)(i)).
(4) Reissuance of final rule
If a final rule for the sixth publication of the list of unregulated contaminants under section 1445(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–4(a)(2)(B)(i)) is promulgated before the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall reissue a final rule for such sixth publication to include the substances described in paragraph (2) on such list.
(b) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Nanoplastic
The term nanoplastic means a plastic fragment or particle less than 1,000 nanometers in diameter.
(2) Microplastic
The term microplastic means a plastic fragment or particle less than 5 millimeters in diameter.