Regulatory Framework of Microconstituents

In recent years, significant scientific progress, particularly in analytical instrumentation test procedures, has deepened our understanding of microconstituents (MCs), including microplastics, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), pharmaceuticals personal care products (PPCPs), persistent bioaccumulate toxins (PBTs), and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and their impact on human health and the environment. Because of their toxicities to the ecosystems and potential health effects, regulatory authorities and scientific communities suggest that regulations need to be established to effectively control and regulate MCs in the environment, and thus MCs are candidates for such regulation. International documents have identified some MCs that should be monitored to provide mitigation and control measures when necessary to reduce the risks caused by MCs. This chapter introduces some measures to cope with the pollution of MCs, and collects national, international, and global regulations and agreements on the investigation and control of MCs.