Activists are pushing for tests to detect microplastics in drinking water. Microplastics are formed when plastic trash breaks down into tiny particles that can spread throughout the environment and into human bodies. The Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed new standards for monitoring drinking water, but microplastics are not included.

This omission has raised concerns among advocacy groups. More information on the issue and the EPA's proposal is available from the source, including a letter from health professionals calling microplastics a public health crisis.