HHS Launches $144 Million STOMP Program as EPA Draft List Flags Microplastics and Pharmaceuticals as Potential Drinking‑Water Contaminants
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HHS has launched a $144 million national program called STOMP (Systemic Targeting of MicroPlastics) to study microplastics in humans—prioritizing pregnant people, children and high‑exposure workers—and to develop standardized tools to detect, quantify and remove microplastics from tissues and fluids. The announcement comes as EPA’s draft Contaminant Candidate List 6 for the first time groups microplastics and pharmaceuticals as potential drinking‑water contaminants (expanding the list and opening a 60‑day comment period ahead of a targeted Nov. 17, 2026 signature), even as experts warn that measurement methods, national exposure data and clear links to typical‑exposure health outcomes remain limited.