Story perspectives

Zeldin and Kennedy Jr. Launch $144 Million Microplastics Study

8/14/2026

Summary

Story summary

Lee Zeldin and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. added microplastics to the Candidate List and announced a $144 million human-detection study.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) left microplastics off the utility-monitoring pollutant list.
Governors of New Jersey, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan and Wisconsin petitioned the EPA in November 2025 to require monitoring.
Trisha Vaidyanathan, Beyond Plastics director, said evidence on plastics’ chemicals justifies precautionary action.

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Story summary

Lee Zeldin and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. added microplastics to the Candidate List and announced a $144 million human-detection study.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) left microplastics off the utility-monitoring pollutant list.
Governors of New Jersey, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan and Wisconsin petitioned the EPA in November 2025 to require monitoring.
Trisha Vaidyanathan, Beyond Plastics director, said evidence on plastics’ chemicals justifies precautionary action.