EPA’s new contaminants list is a warning on microplastics, PFAS

By Ayodeji Ayolola | Bloomberg Law | May 14, 2026

Read the full article by Ayodeji Ayolola (Bloomberg Law)

"Microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are showing up in regular conversations about drinking water, regulation, and business risk.

Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency released the draft Sixth Contaminant Candidate List, or CCL 6. The list includes 88 unregulated contaminants the EPA is considering for possible future drinking water regulation: 75 individual chemicals, four broader chemical groups, and nine microbial contaminants. The four chemical groups are microplastics, PFAS, disinfection byproducts, and pharmaceuticals.

It isn’t a proposed rule, so it doesn’t create any immediate obligations. And not every contaminant on the list will necessarily end up being regulated. Before the EPA can move forward with a formal rule, Section 1412(b)(1)(A) of the Safe Drinking Water Act requires the agency to find that:

A contaminant may pose a risk to human health
The contaminant is known or likely to show up in drinking water at concerning levels
Regulation would actually help reduce that risk"