Michigan Environmental Leaders Push for Microplastics Monitoring as Federal Agency Takes First Steps

Federal Move Marks Historic First Step, But Michigan Advocates Call for More Action

LANSING — The Trump administration announced Thursday it will add microplastics and pharmaceuticals to a list of drinking water pollutants that may be regulated in the future, prompting praise from some advocates but calls for more aggressive action from Michigan environmental leaders and lawmakers who have long pushed for monitoring and regulations on the pollutants.

The announcement stops short of requiring monitoring of the chemicals' presence in water systems — something Governor Gretchen Whitmer and a host of environmental groups have urged. But Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin said listing the pollutants as priority contaminants under the Safe Drinking Water Act will prioritize them for funding, research and potentially future regulation.

"EPA is sending a clear message," Zeldin said. "We will follow the science, we will pursue answers, and we will hold ourselves to the highest standards to protect the health of every American family."

Michigan's Frustrating Reality

Like other pollutants on the national contaminant candidate list — from PFAS and cyanotoxins to 1,4-dioxane — microplastics and pharmaceuticals are present in much of the nation's drinking water, but are not regulated or widely monitored.

The situation is particularly concerning in Michigan, home to the Great Lakes, a drinking water source for 40 million people in the U.S. and Canada. According to Bridge Michigan, more than 22 million pounds of plastic waste enter the Great Lakes each year.

Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments of 5 millimeters or less — about the width of a pencil eraser — which are so ubiquitous in the environment that they have turned up in human breast milk, blood and brain tissue. They come from litter that breaks down in the environment, fleece clothing that sheds fibers with every wash, car tires that grind away on road surfaces and many other sources.

While research on humans is limited, animal studies have linked microplastics exposure to learning and memory issues, reproductive problems and a host of other concerns.

Pharmaceuticals, meanwhile, range from anti-anxiety drugs to antibiotics and pain relievers that enter water supplies through human waste, improper drug disposal and intensive livestock operations that routinely dose animals with antibiotics and other drugs. Pharmaceuticals have shown up at sampling sites across the Great Lakes and in the drinking water of tens of millions of U.S. residents.

"We're consuming this stuff, and we really don't know what the risk is," said Art Hirsch, co-founder of the Michigan Microplastics Coalition.

Hirsch said vigilance about its presence in drinking water is not enough. To effectively curb microplastics pollution, he said, governments need to start regulating the plastic supply chain.

"We're never going to get rid of plastics," Hirsch said. "They're too fundamental. The problem is, we make too much."

Michigan Lawmakers Push for Action

State legislators have been working on multiple bills to address microplastics contamination in Michigan water systems. Active bills in the Michigan Legislature to phase out microbeads, require drinking water providers to monitor for microplastics and create a statewide microplastics plan are awaiting votes in the state Senate.

Past efforts to let local governments ban plastic bags, expand recycling programs and ban cosmetics and over-the-counter drugs containing plastic microbeads have all stalled.

Sen. Sue Shink, R-Northfield, has introduced legislation to combat microplastics in Michigan. She says she's happy to see the feds are taking notice.

"I'm glad that microplastics are getting some attention in the news today. I have seen from talking to people that it's a bipartisan issue. At the same time, talk is great, action is better," Shink said.

The federal Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) is published every five years and guides the EPA's research priorities. The CCL designation would provide research funding to help eliminate the plastics from drinking water.

Michigan Environmental Leaders Push for More

Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, who frequently sponsors legislation related to plastic pollution, said the federal move doesn't go far enough.

"We really should be taking action to protect people's health," Irwin said. "But we expect so little from the Trump administration, even their acknowledgement that we're going to look at this and collect data is probably a good thing."

Whitmer in December joined six other Democratic governors to petition the EPA for a monitoring requirement, arguing it would "lead to meaningful methods of reducing the risk to the public's health."

The Trump administration is due to publish an updated list of contaminants that require monitoring — known as the Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6) — by the end of 2026.

State Takes Initiative

While waiting for federal action, Michigan is taking its own steps. The state will be conducting a pilot to test five different drinking water systems for the contaminants. For the next three years, Michigan will also test about 200 of its inland lakes and streams for microplastics.

California has passed a law requiring the adoption of a system for testing drinking water supplies, as well as provisions for regulating plastic production and use, according to Michigan Environmental Council staff.

Industry Influence Remains a Barrier

Pollution affects millions in the Great Lakes, but regulatory efforts struggle for traction. Plastic use has been skyrocketing for decades, with the U.S. leading the world in per-capita consumption. Global plastic waste is expected to triple by 2060, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Efforts to curb plastic pollution, both in Michigan and nationally, have struggled to gain traction — something Irwin blamed on the influence of "big industry and big polluters."

Congress passed 2015 legislation phasing out personal care products containing plastic microbeads and directed EPA in 2020 to develop a national strategy on plastic pollution. Several other efforts to rein in plastic use have stalled, while President Trump last year reversed a Biden-era effort to phase out federal use of single-use plastics.

The proposal to designate microplastics and pharmaceuticals as priority contaminants is open for public comments through June 1.

What's Next for Michigan

Michigan environmental groups are watching closely, hoping the federal designation will lead to more concrete action. The Michigan Microplastics Coalition has been pushing for years for comprehensive monitoring and regulation.

"We really should be taking action to protect people's health," Hirsch said. "We're consuming this stuff, and we really don't know what the risk is."

As Michigan continues to push for state-level action, the wait for federal monitoring requirements continues. The Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6) is due by the end of 2026, offering Michigan residents and lawmakers a deadline to watch.

Sources:

• Bridge Michigan — EPA move on microplastics, pharmaceuticals draws mixed response in Michigan: https://bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/epa-move-on-microplastics-pharmaceuticals-draws-mixed-response-in-michigan/

• Michigan Public — U.S. EPA announces action on microplastics, but Michigan critics say it's not enough: https://www.michiganpublic.org/environment-climate-change/2026-04-02/u-s-epa-announces-action-on-microplastics-but-michigan-critics-say-its-not-enough

• WEMU-FM — Sen. Shink happy to see feds moving on microplastics in drinking water: https://www.wemu.org/wemu-news/2026-04-03/sen-shink-happy-to-see-feds-moving-on-microplastics-in-drinking-water