HHS Launches $134–$144 Million STOMP Program as EPA Draft List Flags Microplastics and Pharmaceuticals as Potential Drinking‑Water Contaminants
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HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced STOMP, a $134–$144 million national program to study microplastics in the human body — prioritizing pregnant people, children and high‑exposure workers — to fund standardized measurement tools and pursue a clinically usable test within five years that would cost under $50 and take under 15 minutes. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin unveiled draft Contaminant Candidate List 6, which for the first time adds microplastics and pharmaceuticals as contaminant groups, expands the CCL and issues non‑binding human‑health benchmarks for nearly 400 pharmaceuticals while opening a 60‑day public comment period ahead of a planned final decision by Nov. 17, 2026.